you caught me lingering

Brisbane Folk: Incoming Jen.

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 07:57:24 GMT

Hey all,

I shall be in Brisbane from Thursday evening until the 23rd.

Saturday the 12th is Stephen's birthday, so there'll likely be family things on in the evening.
Thursday 17th I AM seeing Batman 2. I'm happy to go with other people, as long as I see the movie.
Friday 18th I'm off to Lenny Henry with some folks.

That's all the plans I can recall at this point; if I've missed anything, or if anyone wants to catch up at any other point, let me know.

In other news, 30 June is over, I've picked up another large national client (which may pave the way for us getting an even bigger client if they come out of self-insurance next year, which is very exciting), and I didn't lose any of my existing clients, though some of mine will probably be transferred to other folks in the team to make room for the new client. We had dinner and drinks on 30 June, and the big Insurance Institute Event last night, which involved too much scotch and much hilarity. Even if we did end up at Mooseheads.

All About Me

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:11:26 GMT

So, there's a meme going around that's basically a refresher course on one's life, and since I've been a bit failboat on the updates front, I figured it was a good idea.

1. First Name: Jen

2. Age: 24

3. Location: Canberra, Australia. Previously Brisbane, and before that Sydney, but Canberra's it for now.

4. Occupation: Workers' Compensation Case Manager for QBE. It's actually not bad, as far as a job goes. My colleagues are a pretty good bunch, which always helps.

5. Partner?: Stephen.

6. Kids: Don't have any, and neither Stephen or I want any.

7. Brothers/Sisters: None.

8. Pets: None.

9. List the 3-5 biggest things going on in your life:

a. I'm currently enrolled in a MA (Professional and Applied Ethics) at ANU, but after taking a semester to get a feel for the degree and the department, I'm not really sure it's what I want to be doing. I'm rethinking my goals in terms of study and academia.

b. It's end of financial year, which is always ridiculously busy at work. Working to keep clients and win new ones means a lot of arguing about financials, and it doesn't stop once June end, because July is spent doing meet and greets with new clients.

c. I have this angst every year to two years, but particularly in light of a., I'm having a bit of a 'what am I doing with my life?' sort of crisis. Not even in an "I should be saving the world" way, but just in a "am I spending my time productively" way - I need a hobby, basically, but I've never been much good at hobbies, to be honest.

d. It's winter in Canberra. I do miss Brisbane, mostly friends, but the warmth is a big factor at the moment. It only just grazed double-digits today. *whimper*.

e. This may seem strange in light of c., but I'm learning how to listen to myself more, these days. Possibly because I've got less people in my meatspace day-to-day life. I'm taking more time out for myself and learning to pay more attention to what my body wants and needs.

10. Parents?: Are my parents. I don't speak to them much, and not nearly as much as they'd like, but I prefer it that way. I'm mostly estranged from both of them, particularly my mother, but we generally maintain civility. They're very draining people, and I don't like who I am around them, so I avoid them where possible. They live in Sydney, and as far as I know they plan to stay there.

11. Who are some of your closest friends?: I hate these questions, because I always feel presumptuous answering them. Plus, partly because of the being in Canberra thing, I'm feeling a bit disconnected from people these days, which I know is a whole chunk of my own fault, but there it is. So, I dunno. There are a bucketload of people I care very much about, even if I'm crap at comments/posting/whatever. I'm just not sure what to say, these days.

Keating! The Musical - Reflections

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:40:23 GMT

So, I saw Keating! The Musical this evening. To start, I was very impressed in a number of ways. Mike McLeish has such amazing stage presence *fans self* the music was great, and there was fun and hilarity. Also - Keating/Hewson.

I must admit I was rather 'eh' about the Downer bit, and the Evans/Kernot bit actually rather rankled me. And honestly, the jibe about Howard's thing about there being only 'blokes' on the 'mateship' fell exceedingly flat given the overwhelming abundance of peen involved in the show (hint: the 'mateship' wasn't the only thing that only had 'blokes' on it).

There was a discussion over at LP a little while ago about how there was a palpable difference in the audience reactions to Howard in the show pre and post election, and whilst I can't really comment on that, I have to admit I found the last quarter of the show actually a bit depressing (and yes, I will admit in public that "The Light On The Hill" made me cry in the not-from-laughing way).

I couldn't bring myself to laugh at the show's Howard, because well, yes, he's gone, but well fell pretty damned far and have quite a few rungs to drag ourselves back up, and honestly, my 12 year old self still feels fucking robbed. Because yes, I have a rosy view of Keating that comes from being a child whilst he was in power, but I knew enough to know that the reams of hatred directed at me at that age was in response to something he represented. And I was robbed of growing up with it. And as much as we can do now (and we have a lot to do), I can't get that back.

And it still makes me sad, and angry, and wistful. And, in a way that may seem rather strange, I think I'm sadder about this 'what could've been' than I am about the various more personal 'what could've beens' of my childhood.

Moar Music Meme

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:57:42 GMT

I got H from neafthemighty
download here (zip file)

Here Comes September - Waikiki
    Waikiki were an Sydney band I discovered sometime 2001/2002 when I was still living in Sydney. I recently discovered that two of the members, including the lead singer, are now part of Howling Bells. I can't remember how I discovered Waikiki, but they remind me of the good parts of 2002, before I started itching to get out of Sydney.
Hot Gossip - Robots in Disguise
    These women are awesome. Electropunk awesomeness. And really, their stage names are Dee Plume and Sue Denim. Win. Props to Chani for introducing me to their awesomeness.
Humble Neighbourhoods - P!nk
    This is one of those songs I can't help but rock out to. It's just ... badass, even moreso than P!nk usually is.
How To Explain - The Cat Empire
    I'm a sucker for horns, and this is actually one of my favourite Cat Empire tracks. It has that real bodily experience of music without being too serious about it, and being able to retain the fun is something I rather like about Cat Empire. I'd never heard of them until $ and I were waiting around to see The Church at Homebake (whichever year that was) and they were on beforehand so we heard them and were impressed.
Honey - Moby
    Moby's just fun, and I love the filmclip for this track.

If anyone feels like randomly flinging me a letter, please do so. I'm rather fond of this meme.

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 08:31:12 GMT

1. Reply to this post and I'll assign you a letter. [Alternatively, give me a letter I haven't done, because I rather like this meme.]
2. List (and upload, if you feel like it) 5 songs that start with that letter.
3. Post them to your journal with these instructions.

I got R from minna
donwload here (zip file)

Rattlesnakes - Tori Amos
    It's a great cover of Leonard Cohen and it's Tori. That's pretty much it.
Run To The Water - Live
    I know a lot of people got rather turned off Live as Ed started getting all spirtual and hippy-ish, but I just love this album. That and I find the concept of a 'nuclear fire of love' intriguing in a way that's probably more overthinking than they actually intended.
Release - george
    Katie Noonan has a glorious voice. She just does. And this song is so joyful and relaxed and glorious. It's my relaxing happy song. It's one of the few songs that make me consider quitting smokes to get my vocal range back.
Raspberry Swirl - Tori Amos
    This is semi-doof 'oh god I need a dancefloor' Tori. It just makes me want to dance,
Respect - P!nk
    This song is just fun. It has that self-respect and anti-harassment vibe that P!nk pulls out a fair bit that just pushes my "giving sexist asshats the finger" button. Rocking.

I also got W from scribewraithdownload here (zip file)

Wet Blanket - Metric
    It seems fitting since Chani got me onto Metric initially, who are a Canadian indie rock band who are awesome.
Weather With You - Crowded House
    Classic Crowded House, what can I say?
Wishing (If I Had A Photograph of You) - Nouvelle Vague
    I have insufficient words for how awesome Nouvelle Vague are. For those who don't know, they're a French band who's first album was basically covers of various New Wave classics that they'd never actually heard before. Which is a fascinating way to do covers.
Winter - Tori Amos
    C'mon, you thought I was going to have a list without Tori? This song makes my inner five year old weep; it's just so ... bittersweet childhood remembrance, really.
When I Grow Up - Garbage
    Speaking of childhood and growing up, this was my angsty fuck-you teen anthem. We all need a couple.

Yay musics!

Brisbane Folk!

Sat, 24 May 2008 03:43:44 GMT

Any Brisbane folks interested in seeing Lenny Henry on July 18? He's on in Canberra the evening we head up to Brisbane, so I figured I'd catch him in Brisbane whilst I'm there, and $teve has conference things to attend (and we both know better than to stick me in a room full of marketers).

Let me know if you're interested.

Dear Prof. Stuart Cunningham

Mon, 19 May 2008 12:14:34 GMT

asdvljhcb^&%&^%&^$^*#*%#(^&#$&$FUCKER. I WILL KICK YOUR ASS.

NOW you're whinging about the lack of Humanities PhD students?
NOW you're whinging about the lack of Social Sciences grad students?
AFTER you helped to gut QUT of it's social science program?
AFTER you removed one of a major streams to Humanities and Social Science PhD programs?

GODAMMIT. I can't think of an insult that is sufficient. Fuck.

(Just in case you lot thought I'd gotten over that whole shutting down my fucking Arts degree thing. Oh, and speaking of. After maintaining that they certainly wouldn't be shutting down the QUT Carseldine campus, guess what they did? Oh yes. And from my inside sources, they only 'consulted' when the union cramped their announcement meeting by pointing out that consultation was required under their EBA.)

OMG

Sat, 10 May 2008 06:28:55 GMT

So, I'd been putting off watching Season 7 West Wing. Partly because I know it's the last season and I don't want it to be.

In the meantime - WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME JANEANE GAROFALO WAS IN SEASON SEVEN. *LOVES ON HER*

I'm up to Ep 5.

Friending Amnesty

Fri, 09 May 2008 13:09:18 GMT

Incidentally, now that I'm endeavouring to be back on the internets, this journal's going to be largely about personal stuff and keeping up with folks. I'll still be reading the flists and such, but much of the substantive feminism/anti-racism/etc blogging will be going on over at:

(Liminal) Spaces.

If you're here for the feminism/etc blogging, probably best to head over there, or grab the rss feed. In light of that, I'm declaring friending amnesty (though it's always been there, so extra-loud reminder, or something), so if you don't really care about my personal shit and want to move over to the other blog (or don't, and just want some cover to de-friend me for whatever reason), Amnesty Declared.

For those who were fond of the linksposts of last year, Wednesday (evening, most likely) over at (L)S will be linkblogging day.

Quote of the Day

Fri, 09 May 2008 10:21:26 GMT

sharpest_rose:

"Romeo & Juliet wasn't written about people in their thirties, it was written about teenagers, because teenagers have been engaging in tragically overwrought responses to life's problems for much, MUCH longer than My Chemical Romance have been a band."

Brisbane Folk! PSA for July

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:18:56 GMT

I shall be ~~running from the cold~~ gracing the northern capital with my presence between July 11 and 23 (with a brief trip to the Gold Coast in the middle as $ has a conference and dude, free hotel room).

Anyone up for catchups and whatnot, consider this your initial heads up. Will post more closer to the time.

Hi. Still Alive. More Importanly?

Sat, 03 May 2008 18:18:12 GMT

GO SEE IRON MAN. IS AWESOMEPANTS.

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:33:44 GMT

We've been rearranging the house, and the LAN, so internets have been sporadic.

Off to Sydney for work today. 4:30am is evil from this end. Srsly.

Update on stuff when I get home and 'Kyrie's hooked up again.

Reasons My Comics Store is Awesome #512

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:35:21 GMT

So, Impact Comics have moved to a new store, which is bigger, more central and doesn't have a narrow-ass flight of stairs*.

Upon mentioning the awesomeness of the new store, the first reason comics store guy (I don't know his name) gave for why the lack of stairs is awesome? The store is now wheelchair accessible. I thought that was rather tops.

*The only consolation was that it was less stairs than Ace, my store in Brisbane, which is also Awesome, it's just a bit of a trek from here. *waves to Pol*

Whee.

Tue, 25 Dec 2007 03:39:41 GMT

Happy Holidays, Internets!

Wheeee

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 23:06:31 GMT

Off to Brisbane. See you on the other side.

Addenum

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:55:47 GMT

Looks like my broken finger is doing okay. Reviewed with the plastic surgeon today, it seems the splint thingy is doing it's job and holding the bone in a good position for healing. I have to make an appointment with the OT so they can keep track of how it's healing, and stay in the splint for 6-8 weeks, and it should be fine.

News

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 07:55:58 GMT

So, after deciding not to do Honours because I didn't really feel comfortable for various reasons, I've just finished my application for the Master of Arts (Professional and Applied Ethics) at ANU. I spoke to the Course Convenor yesterday who said that despite the website saying that I need Hons or a Grad Dip to qualify for entry, I should be fine to get in, given my undergraduate major and the fact that I can argue a case relating work to the degree. Given she's the one who decides who gets into the program, I'm feeling vaguely confident. Now I just have to hope that same argument works as far as the company is concerned and I manage to convince them to sponsor my study, otherwise budgets will be tight for a while.

Still - hi academy, I'm back. It's actually quite exciting, and I really like the sound of the program. I'll be going in part time, which is about four years, coursework, plus a sub-thesis. The conversation I had with the Convenor yesterday was pretty cool, actually, in terms of tying work-stuff into my studies and intersections between bioethics/public health/business ethics that work stuff kinda bleeds around.

In other news, I'll be in Brisbane from this time next week, until about the 6th of January. If you want to catch up, let me know. Don't wait for me to call you, because it's highly likely I don't have your number. Also, what are Brisbane people doing for NYE?

Public Service Announcement

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 07:33:00 GMT

Do not, under any circumstances, go and see Gabriel.

It's bad. Like. really bad. Not in the 'so bad it's good' way, just bad.

I'd tell you exactly how bad, but then I'd have to think about it again. I know if I did, the words "angsty white-boy entitlement cakes" would be involved multiple times.

Contacts Update

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 10:28:12 GMT

So, I lost my phone late last week, which is a bit of a pain in the butt, but the result of that is that I have a shiny new Nokia 6300.

However, it also means that I don't have anyone's mobile numbers anymore. So, folks, I need your help. Comments to this entry are screened, so if I had your number, or you think I should have your number, please comment on this entry with your number so I can add it back to my phone. Or, since I'm still on the same number, send me an sms with who you are in it and I'll add the number back.

This will only make sense to Folks who follow US wrestling.

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:01:44 GMT

JERICHO!

*bouncebouncebouncebouncebounce*

Open Letters: Comics Edition

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 09:08:06 GMT

Reference: Here (spoilers for Batman and the Outsiders #1).

Dear Chuck Dixon,

I'm not going to comment on most of the issues, because you've constructed some kind of wacky constructed-reality in your head where apparently it's clever to make jokes about oppressed classes of people and try and paint queer folks as special breed of oversensitive precious-pants, and I'm quite comfortable here in actual reality where it obviously makes you an asshole. So I'm going to go with the other question.

What part of 'Batman is the world's greatest detective' do you not understand? Batman, who is obsessed with studying absolutely everyone, in the course of looking at who's going to be on the team, is magically cured of this obsession (and detective-level observation skills, apparently) when it is likely to allow him to tell the difference between a friendship and a relationship? Seriously, are you so fucking incompetent a writer that you have failed to understand such a key aspect of Batman's character? Or are you just projecting your own ignorant baggage onto Batman, which, well, still makes you an incompetent hack who doesn't understand Batman.

You seriously expect us to buy your shite?

no love,
me.

Reference: (from the linked post) "Was this scene calculated to get precisely the reaction it got here? You bet. Did DC run the page it ran in the previews to get a lather on the knee-jerk fans always ready to go to the hate bucket? OH yeah.
Was all of this discussed in advance interrupted with much giggling? Uh huh."

Dear DC,

Uh, did you forget that the point of preview pages wasn't to piss people off but, um, to make people want to buy your shite?
Or are you still, in your financial floundering as an industry, still trying to act as though you're too good for the money of people who expect a little more from you?
Still, feel free to plead with the demographics you're pissing off about how much you'd like us to give certain titles another chance.

me.

Liveblogging the Election - Closing Statements

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 13:24:10 GMT

I'm emotionally exhausted.

I'm pleased, and feel like a great big fucking weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Like scribewraith said, Rudd's speech made me feel welcome in my own country for the first time in literally half my lifetime.

I think tomorrow, or later tonight, I'm going to have to have a good cry, just to release the emotion.

Honestly, I don't understand the notion that coast-to-coast is a bad idea in terms of balance when you put it against House + Senate. I've heard it a bit from various places, and I really don't understand it. I've always thought House + Senate was a much bigger problem. And really, my main issue is that it seems ridiculous to punish federal Labor for the fact that the State Oppositions just aren't showing up. I mean seriously, The Lib/Nats in Qld haven't shown up to an election for the last decade or longer.

I'm not staunch ALP, and I don't think I ever will be. I'm not overwhelmingly for Rudd, either, and he's a little too right-faction for my liking. However, the ALP has done considerably less to make me feel not only ashamed of my country, but really fucking unwelcome in it. I have spent half my life, literally, feeling unwelcome in my country, and much of the other half was spent being too young to know much of anything (and dealing with shit closer to home in terms of feeling unwelcome). That's increased considerably since 2001, but it started in 1996. Tonight I feel more welcome in my own country, the country in which I have lived my whole life, than I have since I was old enough to start understanding politics.

I'm not going into this expecting to feel everything is going to be great now, but feeling more welcome for the fact that a party that has been so obssessed with Othering those without the backing of privilege and power has been delivered such a clear message of rejection is definitely a start.

Thank you, country. I feel a little safer, and perhaps even a little hopeful, tonight. I feel a little more welcome in my own country. And later, I think I need to have a cry about the fact that it took this long.

Liveblogging the Election 6 - The Victory Speech Edition

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 12:28:38 GMT

Kevin's about to do his victory speech from Suncorp Stadium.

Bob's waxing lyrical about being the last ALP leader to make a victory speech after coming up from Opposition.

HI ANNA BLIGH!

YAY!

What's awesome is that Kevin's wife doesn't look like she's trying to look like she's not there.

NOW THAT IS ENTRANCE MUSIC!

Is that his daughter? Cos, um .. she's kinda hot.

He's much better at controlling his crowd than Howard is. He sounds more sincere, too.

Good man, thank the voters first. Acknowledging responsibility - good if you can keep that one up.

You better not take the trust for granted.

Oh Good Man.

Y'know, I can't heckle this. It's just cool.

Wait. Europe? I never heard anything about us having allies in Europe?

F'ckin southsiders. Northside, dammit.

AHAHAHAHHAHA. Awesome digg about retaining your seat.

WHAT IS IT WITH ROCKS THIS EVENING?

$:politics are stupi. throw rocks at them.

Thanks $. Please stop being one of those awful tshirts.

Hey, at least we can believe Rudd HAS a heart.

YAY! Can I steal Bob Hawke's Union Thug's badge?

Yay! Shoutouts!

YAY JULIA! Our first female Deputy PM.

SWANNIE!

G'ooorn. Shoutout to Maxine McKew. You know you want to.

YAY! He actually sounds more like he actually likes his wife, and it's really obvious that they like each other and get along. And d'awwww, they're blushing. It's so cute!

I'm impressed by him acknowledging his past and his parents as well as his wife and kids.

ICED VOVOS!

*BOOGIES*

THAT WAS AWESOME. OMGYAY!

Liveblogging the Election 5 - Concession Speech Edition

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 11:49:19 GMT

Howard is arriving at the Wentworth Hotel to make his concession speech.

His music sounds like the ending credits of something. Seems quite apt, really.

At least he fucking conceded.

Ok, seriously. Howard, you remember that Pride is a Sin, right? One of the Seven?

The Australian people didn't give you privilege, you're an old rich white guy. That's privilege.

Oh enough with the nationalism shite already.

What? our economy is the envy of the world? Since fucking when?

Long years. You're telling me. Seriously. Has it really only been 11.5? It's felt like forever.

At least Costello could keep his own seat, John.

Howard's getting a surprising amount of man-love from the crowd.

YAY! BROUGH IS GONE!

SHUT THE FUCK UP ABOUT THE INVASION.

Holy shit, you have accepted full responsibility for the first time in your fucking life.

Wait, does that mean he's claiming full responsibility for the Lindsay debacle?

He's conceded the leadership, at least.

Dude, don't describe your wife as a rock.

AHAHAHA PWND BY YOUR WIFE.

Okay, seriously, this fetish for your wife to be made of rock is weird and a bit creepy.

At least you're pretty much conceding Bennelong.

I'm always fascinated by politicians talking about how honourable public service is at times other than when they're cutting public sector funding and bagging out bean counter public servants who aren't them

YAY! HE HAS CONCEDED!