Dear Blog readers,

Gloriously early start. Blergh to 6:00 wakings. Had my Principles of Interactive Media tute this morning. She is thinking of shuffling it backward one hour – so we start at 10. That would suit me JUST FINE! Parked Crackerjack style again. Thanks muchly to luskie who showed us that trick. Sorry to all the oldies who’s lawn bowl car spots we take. They truly hate P platers on Mondays, but as today is Wednesday and we were early…

Anyway, the tute was great! I got a tad lost finding the ‘studio’ room (which we are one of, if not the first class to use) but saw the lecturer of all people and so followed her, nothing like good timing. Jen and I turn out to be the only girls in that class, but it is small and four or five of the guys are Interactive Media people (and in our Studio class) so I at least know faces. About 15-20 of us all up.

Spent an hour doing an introducing thing, which was really helpful and made everyone relax and actually talk. It was quite funny when it came to some group work because of all the situations we had to come up with for a context and everyone went way overboard. The guy next to me came in late. I think his name was Muffaro (or similar) South African, 3rd year eCommerce, anyway he was utterly hilarious, one of those laughs that makes you laugh. So it was good morning.

Spent lunchtime with Guy and Jen on the lawn. This galah came up and started eating my lunch and then tired to climb up my leg, bit random.

Comparitive Imaging (which is digital stuff) was all on photoshop, so as the guy talked I just ignored him mostly and did some of the excercises he sent around via a CD, mainly playing around with Mac shortcuts. I do like my shortcut and I think I have it almost all worked out. I really don’t like not having a right mouse button though, or a scrolly wheel. Met Jeremy, who is a dwarf, and a nice guy. Helped some other girl with something computerish… really I am very surprised at how many people came into the course expecting something different, very few of them seem to know how to do the basics. Quite concerning.

Three hour workshop thing on photography. Where I met Adina who is Jewish and has been in Israel the past year, she was really nice. Jo an Indian girl who’s been in Australia only three weeks and has astoundingly good english and a Rebecca. Whom I introduced myself too with my name and she did a double take, “You know my name!” was quite funny.

Nearly fell asleep. The Lecturer talks quietly and uses no visual aids, which makes it very hard for me as I don’t do well with learning by just hearing things. He’s such a typical oldish photographer kind of guy, stovepipe black jeans, black sunnies, bald head. Nice enough, but three hours is a bit much. Mind you the subject matter was some history of photography so boring was well on the agenda.

Watched a documentry thing on American somethingorother photography which wasn’t too bad. Then question time afterwards about anything. Got to clarify something about my camera which is very good seeing as I have to use it very soon and it’s spiked my drink* with a bit of confidence.

We finished early. So I got a coffee from the ‘corner cafe’ which is really quite nice and waited for Jess. We hung out in there for an hour waiting for Isobelle to finish her classes. Had a massively interesting/deep conversation around a variety of topics, namely relationships. She dubbed me as being, “Almost too pragmatic to be female” which was very funny considering the context. It was a genuinely good d&m. Hope it happens more frequently.

Isobelle, Jess and I went to LaPorchettas on the way to Young Adults small group thing. It was okay, not great and they forgot to bring our water and gave Jess the wrong sized meal. Was a nice change from Sophias (next door) though. Late back to church, find out they’ve gone down to the lake, so we drove there.

Found them all. Went for a walk around the lake. Truly beautiful evening (See the photo at the top for evidence!). Got a footy kicked into the back of my legs about three times, thanks to a certain individual. Caught up with Susannah. The Car trip back had a curious incident (lets just say a certain someone we know mooned us) which made Laura really annoyed. It was pretty dumb of them. Oh well, they’ll probably feel like a fool if they think about it, or then again maybe he wont.

About 8 of us came back at McDonalds where we had the for(mis)tune to run into Hannah and co. She won her basketball grandfinal. Good for her 🙂 So weignored them after saying ‘congratulations’. Hung out for a good while.

Home. I don’t know if I’m working tomorrow as I left my phone at home today (fell out of my bag in the car) and I forgot to call up. So no sleepin for Bec. *cries waterfalls*

Goodnight all, or goodmorning just,
Love the pragmatic.

(btw, who are you? I think you’ve all multiplied into people I didn’t specifically invite to read this, its fine that you are but knowing you exist beyond an IP address would be courteous)

*sorry to report that such a drink does not exist, however it could be that I’m using a metaphor or a similie but it is late and I can’t be bothered remembering which is which. If you are truly interested you could look both words up at www.dictionary.com and then decide whether the drink is literal in the possible sense or simply a substitue for something much much greater.

I generally throw the good quotes into First Phrase and I’m never really sure if they get read or not as no one has bothered commenting (I do like comments you know and not just limited to here). While I’m at it check out Red and Blue for some good or not so good books – comment there as well!

This quote however, deserves not to be missed and so I’ll share it here. It also helps to illustrate if not sadly illuminate a small part of my own life.

The reason some of us are such poor specimens of Christianity is because we have no Almighty Christ. We have Christian attributes and experiences, but there is no abandonment to Jesus Christ. – Oswald Chambers

I came out of Year in the Son with this thorough determination to be honest about what I’d spent the year doing. It could sound a bit silly but I think it’s important to mention that it’s not just a personal development course, despite coming out with a Cert IV in Youth Development, but that it’s also theology and in throwing that simple word in you shed light on a lot of what you are on about, interested in. I guess I came to this conclusion after being influenced by those post yits-leavers who talked about how describing what you spent your time was difficult.

I’ve stuffed up explaining, leaving the ‘God bit’ out several times now. I did it again today. The frustrating and bit I’m fairly ashamed about was that I actually remembered it. I think some of my fear lies in the potential questions that could follow and not being able to answer them properly.

I had a talk to God about this stuff as it and was slightly encouraged in reading some of Phillipians 2.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. – Phil 2:12-13 (italics mine)

Another thing emerged as I considered myself and evaluated who Rebecca has been lately. A “harmless” comment made by a friend the other day pointed out that I can complain a lot. Yes this is aided with tiredness when you reach the point of don’t care, but that’s no excuse. Around this friend, much of my complaint is in jest or simply for fun – we both know that, however who can ever really disassociate one part of life with another?

I have been hypersensitive in the past few days to the fact that I’ve been complaining a fair bit, or just had a less than godly attitude towards people. Specifically observing myself in a less than familiar situation at uni, in talking with a friend (still sort of aquaintence) from my course. I find myself gravitating towards highlighting the less than good about the individual – namely lecturers or a situation. Frustrating again as I keep catching myself short right after I say what I don’t want to or in the attitude I really hate.

It seems like Phillipians was where my face was meant to be stuck today,

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. -Phil 2:14-16

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. – Phil 2:1-4

Read the rest of it here, as it is all pretty much relevant.

A goodly bit of being pulled up short is useful now and then. I am rather ashamed I don’t have the guts sometimes to be willing to be more open about what I believe. I’ve been burnt about it what, once before, and they soon got over me being a Christian and actually started talking to me again. I shouldn’t have anything to hold me up. The least I could do is start acting more Christlike. :\

I usually take minimal interest in the Oscars, but was exceedingly happy to hear about Crash‘s upset take of best picture. It’s is a completely astounding and disturbing movie and it’ll do the rest of the western world good when they are tugged by simple curiousity to go and hire it out. Powerful messages around racism like this should not be lost in the alcoves of under-represented movies. Of course offer it an Oscar, it’s one way to get the word out there.

Talking about fantastic movies. Firewall which I saw this afternoon doesn’t quite qualify. It was good in that it was an easy watch despite still having some tense moments. I tend realise when movies aren’t that great when I simply can’t get so involved when it takes minimal effort to remind myself that it’ll all end up right as rain in the end. A useful techniques to employ in gruesome situations, still haven’t perfected them to deal with watching a horror – but then I have no desire to. When I go about this kind of mental gymnastic during exceptionally good movies it’s usually to force myself to stand back in order to deal with what I’m seeing. Nevertheless, it was good to catch up with Paul again. The director whoever he was truly let the audience down by the Lassie come home ending with the Alias style triumph, but oh well. Entertainment was not all meant to be thought provoking.

Well I had to do one from here sometime.

I’m at uni. My last lecture finished half an hour early again, so I wasting time in some computer lab in building B.

Studio this morning came with a few new faces, those who either couldn’t find it last week, didn’t think it was on or swapped classes. Adrian (who is our course well person/guy who does everything) is away overseas so we had a replacement. Kathy (who was the person I’ve had excess contact with over the course in the past year). She’s slightly strange. Insanely happy for the morning as someone pointed out and utterly clueless really about what we were meant to be doing. Sussed out some stuff after I and a few others remembered an ‘activity’ left on the intranet. She left early and we were free to do pretty much as we pleased. Suited me.

Caught the 75 down to the VicRoads office, hung around waiting for 11:00. Went in and sat my Hazzard Perception. It wasn’t too bad, I wasn’t very nervous or anything. I did realise throughout at several points that I’d clicked at the wrong time (usually too early) but I was fairly sure I’d passed. And I did! Sure I only got 67% which is slightly disgraceful as it really wasn’t that difficult. The whole thing IMOH is utterly irrelevant and pointless to driver education. It’s simply another means of squeezing another fee from your student designed wallet. The interface is relatively ugly and the instructions take too long. /whinge

I got back in time for my last lecture. Principles of Interactive Media. Sat with Jen and one of the ‘new guys’ for studio, think his name is Guy.

You know when there are those individual that stand out a from the crowd for no particular reason, well there was this guy I noticed (and no don’t jump to the ‘ooh bec’ thinks he’s hot’ thing) from some of the pre/post-enrollment times and he appeared this morning in our studio class (after swapping). It’s thoroughly satisfying to work out someone’s name when that’s the case. Quite pleasing.

I really need to work out where the labs are that have Photoshop installed. This one unfortunately does not and so renders itself half useless.

Anyway that’s half the day up, another half hour spent another 20mins til the bus comes. I’m off to see Firewall tonight with some good (well they have to prove that :P) if not fairly rare company.

Now all I have to remember to do is to log off.

No parking fine for Jessica and Rebecca today 😀