In Limbo

I'm finding it really hard at the moment to get back into things, now that I've finished by Ph.D. Granted, I still have all my corrections to do, but besides that I'm technically finished college, apart from graduation in March sometime. I've been in the same place for 7 years, which means I've probably become somewhat institutionalised. The last year has kept me cut off from most of my friends, the older ones in particular (not by choice), who let's face it, all have their own shit going on, which I suppose is inevitable. And now that I'm finished college, it's going to be harder to keep in touch with the group of friends I've made in college (none of them work-related). So in one way I'm in a kind of limbo. I always told myself that I wouldn't end up being part of one of those couples who just hang out together all the time, but it seems almost as if that's exactly what I've become, despite my best efforts. Working from home for this new job of mine, is not going to make matters any different either. Speaking of which, I still have no idea what exactly I'm supposed to be doing for this job which I'm supposed to be starting next Wednesday. I should really get that sorted out. All this oral contract stuff has left alot of things up in the air.

Call me Doctor...

....Just passed my viva voce with only minor corrections!! The presentation went well, and the question and discussion session lasted for just over an hour. Towards the end of the session, I started to stumble over my words, probably due to all the stress affecting my sugar levels (God, that sounds so nerdy), so my internal examiner just dropped the last few of his questions, which suited me fine!



It's a bit of an anti-climax at the end of it all, although I'm still pumping adrenaline. I'm just so glad its all over and done with. Now I can really enjoy Xmas by getting paralytically drunk!

My Defense Looms

So, I managed to successfully hand in my Ph.D. thesis, despite it almost killing me, and the 3 weeks later the day has almost arrived for my defence. I am absolutely shitting it. On the one hand, it could be fine. The examiners might have really like my thesis, thought it was perfectly complete as is and just end up asking me general discussion questions during the viva. Or, it could be a disaster, where they nitpick at almost everything I have written, don't agree with me, and then put me on the spot and I whither to a sobbing heap. I am sincerely hoping for the former senario. Yet, either way I am still shitting it.

Driver to the Rescue

After having a great Friday 13th Night last night, supported by John's fantastic Friday 13th drinking game - "dead body - drink", "nudity - drink!" "crazy Ralph - two drinks!", I go and have a fucking hypo on the bus on the way into college today.



I was about 5 mins away from my stop when I started to shake and dropped my bag so the guy in front of me asks if I'm ok, to which I tell him I have to get off the bus. He goes down and tells the bus driver, who stops the bus and comes up to see if I'm ok just about when I start to shake. After I say I'm diabetic and all of the passengers are wondering what the hell is going on, there are a few people down the back volunteering some sugar and diet coke (well, their hearts are in the right place). Luckily there was a girl sitting across from me who offers some sweets (as it turns out she's diabetic herself) which the bus driver feeds to me seeing as my hands are going all over the place. So the bus driver then drives to the next petrol station, gives a guy some money to run in and get me a drink all the while the bus is waiting outside the station full of passengers. At this stage I'd come round ok, so I run off to the shop to tell the guy I'm ok and I tell the bus driver I'm fine, but he waits for me nonetheless and let's me off at the university stop.



I'm just so fucking embarrassed right now. I hate when crap like that happens to me. I was meant to get loads of thesis work done today, but now I'm just worn out. How and ever, it's nice to know that, for all the assholes, scangers, knackers and scumbags, there are still plenty of decent people out there.

"I'm Getting too Old for that Whorey Look"

If you haven't yet seen the brilliantly and unintentionally funny Showgirls yet, do not fret. The film which contains some of the most memorable dialogue of any film is apparantly being adapted for stage.
I wonder if Showgirls! The Musical will hold onto any of the dialogue from the film, such as the title of this post or the immortal quotes ""Must be weird not having anybody cum on ya." and "Life sucks, you know" or even the brilliant "I used to love Doggy Chow too!". But my alltime favourite piece of dialogue from the film is:

"I got my period."

"Yeah, right."

"Check."

"That's alright, I got towels."

I wonder how they'll re-enact that scene on stage?

Gays in the US Military

This clip from youtube is doing the rounds lately, but I just had to stick it up here for those of you who haven't seen it yet. It's taken from The Daily Show:

Pictures from Oz

So, despite giving any kind of description of the great holiday we had in Sydney - I've finally transfered the pictures from my digital camera to my laptop, so I've decided to stick a few up here for your entertainment. I have chosen some more everyday pictures, rather than the traditional opera house/harbour bridge/random architecture shots I also took. It's also a great excuse for not having to write an actual blog entry.



Lately, I haven't had much time on my hands due to the impending deadline for my thesis (Nov. 9). That partnered with the fact that I am a terrible procrastinator and as a result am finiding it extremely difficult to make any kind of progress with my writing, means that I'm currently under an awful lot of pressure, so I really do have to get my ass in gear. At least one reassuring thing is that I've sorted out a 6 month contract with my current supervisor to work for his translation company, and for a very decent wage (yay! money!). I'm due to start working on it a bit while I'm adding the finishing touches to my thesis, so more than likely I won't be doing any work for them until late October, early November. Although, with my last grant stipend coming in next month, and my savings running quite low after the trip to Oz the sooner I start working, the better! I can't live off peanut butter and playing cards for long, no matter how appetizing it may sound to some of you.

One of the "meals" we were given on the Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpar flight




Kuala Lumpar Airport




So happy to be at my conference




Eating some banana bread



A nice "artistic" shot of the Opera House from the Harbour



Some friends we met on our trip (we won them in the crappy Lunar Park fairground



Lions at the Taronga Zoo

Mel's Apology

taken from Proceed at your own risk.

We Arrived...Finally!

After 3 planes, and 30 hours traveling we finally arrived in Sydney! The weather itself was pretty shitty and overcast yesterday, but its clearing up nicely today. Got picked up at the airport by Alan's friend and her girlfriend, went and grabbed some breakfast and then after much meandering through the city, eventually found our hotel. The hotel itself is nice - nothing too fancy, but the bed is unbelievably comfortable. Went for a nap when we arrived - not 100% by choice as the fact that I O.D'd on the tapazepam my granny (you heard it right!) slipped me before I left and failed to sleep in off on the flight from Kuala Lumpar. Got up about 6 p.m., showered, dressed and headed into Newtown for a bite to eat. Met up with people for drinks in a little dingy but cool drag bar and then onto a really tacky (and kinda shitty) nightclub in the basement of some sex shop on the main strip. So far, the impression is good. We're going to see more of the city today including a visit to the Opera House. Tonight I have to attend a pre-conference cocktail and mingling thing but I'm going to try and slip out after putting in an appearance as we're planning on heading out again. Will keep you posted.

Off to See the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard Of...

I must say I had a fantastic weekend - between getting to see Dave (thanks muchly for the bday present - I now have a plush version of the queen Alien chest-burster --so cute-- adorning my gogglebox) and then the amateur strip show by the Dublin Devils FC in the G on Fri night. Got to meet up with people from college that I hadn't seen in a while, have a few drinks, leer at the hot (and not so hot) nakedness and full frontal on stage (the place was packed) and dance to some decent music, before finishing off the night in style with a Chicken Royale...man hadn't had one of those in ages - cheers to Dave for putting the lust for Burger King in my loins.



More than likely I won't be blogging for the next two weeks, as I'm off to Sydney with Alan on Thursday! There's a conference over there for the first week, that'll I do my best to avoid as well as some ghosts from my past who have recently got in touch with me out of the blue. I really wish I hadn't heard from him at all - it stresses me out so much even thinking about it, it even has me second-guessing myself. But I'm sticking to my guns - I've decided that I've absolutely nothing to gain from meeting up with him, other than to exchange pleasantries, and so I'm not
going to.



The journey to Oz is gonna be the furthest I've ever had to travel. We fly through Amsterdam and then onto Kuala Lumpar before arriving in Sydney early Saturday morning. So far the weather reports aren't too good, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it clears up for most of the days. If I can, I'll try and blog somewhere along the way, and maybe include a few photos.



PS: In case people are wondering, after getting one or two not-so-nice comments and subsequently realising I forgot my password to edit said comments, I've removed the old comments and have switched to using Blogger's facility.