Is anyone else finding facebook is somewhat taking over any desire to blog? It's bizarre! I seem to be spending far too much time on there. Instead of reading blogs, or summing up random events, or destressing by posting on here, I jump on facebook and randomly respond to or write wall posts and other such things. Which is fine, and social, and great fun ... but it's infinitely more temporary, or "of the moment". I feel like I'm losing the record I usually have of my life. I like being able to look back over what I've been doing in past years. I don't really want to lose that! So new resolution - I need to start posting more often.
To begin with, I need to post about my day on Moreton Island yesterday. In the rain! It was soooooo wet! In fact, I should probably start this with a weather update. The weather in south-east Queensland has been so insane! A week ago a group of Guides from the UK (including Annette from Sweden who I lived with at Pax) arrived in Brisbane for a weeks stay in "the sunshine state". Needless to say, the long awaited rain also arrived on Sunday. It hasn't rained in months ... not properly at least. We're in drought, and have been for a record length of time. So the rain was rather welcome, by all but the travellers of course.
Anyway, a week later and it's STILL raining! Not so much today, but we haven't had this much rain in years. It's been raining so much, that now we're dealing with flash flooding! Not so much here in Brisbane, but it's pretty severe just north on the Sunshine Coast (near where Annette and the UK Guides were staying until they flew to Tassie today). There are reports of up to 700mm of rain in places inside 24 hour periods! It's massive! So, so, so wet! The Noosa river rose about a metre overnight a couple of days ago. Crazy!
Needless to say, SES has been keeping busy. I haven't been called up yet, but there were eight people from my local group up on the Sunshine Coast last night helping out, and a few more went up today I believe. Loads of sandbags to fill, and residents to help out of flooded houses and so forth. There are plenty of flood boats out in action, and loads of roads cut off by water complicating the situation. People are stranded, and some fools are trying to drive and getting stuck. Sounds crazy!
Anyway, despite all this insane weather, we (Annette, the UK Guides and I) went to Tangalooma yesterday! We were meant to be going on a whale watching cruise, but it was cancelled. They said dolphin feeding would still be happening though, plus in the morning on the news they were saying the rain should be clearing around lunch time.
So, we went! We took the 10am ferry across to the island. Good trip over ... a little bumpy, but not bad. It was showering lightly this morning, but not too much. It almost looked like it was going to clear up too!
However, it didn't! It kept raining. Got heavier at times. Stopped raining once ... but started again shortly after. Basically, the entire day was wet! So we were on this gorgeous, sandy island at this lovely resort ... and we could hardly leave the cafe area. It was too wet! We had a fabulous day, but I wish the travellers could have all seen it the
way it would usually be ... gorgeous sand, blue skies, lots of sunshine, heaps of fun! Rather than the grey skies and insane wet!
Oh well, no point complaining about it now. We had a blast all the same. We went quad biking for a while ... which was loads of fun! We all had our own bike and followed the guide around on the beach for a bit then up the hill to a specially designed track and through a heap of puddles and stuff along the way. I'd never been on a quad bike before, but it was great. Super easy, and hilariously entertaining.
We kept running into each other ... or rather, I could find my break easily enough, but the girl behind me (and the one behind her) less so, and they kept running into me from behind and pushing me forward into the person in front ... rather funny! One girl had trouble steering at one point and nearly rode into the sea! Then at another point one girl got bogged, and in the process of trying to get out her wheels threw sand all over the girl behind her. All so funny!
The others were all super prepared mind you ... being English, they're obviously used to the rain. ;) They all had wet weather gear - jackets and waterproof pants too. I had one of my hooded jackets from London, so my top half was fine, but I was in jeans with nothing else to protect my legs. And it rained the entire time we were out on the quad bikes! Serious rain too ... getting in my face as we were riding and everything. By the time we got back to the resort my jeans were absolutely sopping. I felt slightly better to discover that many of the English girls' wet weather pants hadn't worked ... so they were all wet too. ;)
At the very end of the day was the highlight - we got to feed the dolphins. Of course, this meant getting very wet again! We were all under the impression that we'd get wet up to about thigh level. We just had to wade in, hold a fish under the water, and the dolphins come in and take the fish out of your hand. Simple. Our legs would get wet, and our arm to our elbow, but otherwise we thought we'd keep relatively dry. Big mistake!!
It was still raining when we fed the dolphins! Perhaps not particularly heavily, but it was still wet! And the water was really choppy ... lots of waves and so forth. So when standing on the beach waiting to go out and have our turn, we noticed that we'd be getting wet a little higher than expected - more like up to our waist. I was still in regular clothes on top! I'd only prepared my lower half for wading, thinking that was all that would get wet. But we walked in as far as our waist, so in no time my tshirt was wet. Then a big wave came ... and we hardly had time to turn around before the wave crashed into us and I was drenched head to foot! Even my hair was drenched! Oops!
It was still fun though! We fed the dolphins, and it was the most incredible experience! We weren't allowed to pat them, but they came right up to us to take the fish. I fed one called Echo ... and he was beautiful! A regular ... he's about 15 years old, and has been feeding at Tangalooma for over ten years. The water was really murky because it was so choppy, but he rubbed against my hand a bit as he took the fish, so I could feel him there. So beautiful! They came up out of the water a bit as they were coming in and out too, so we could see them a bit then at least. I'd love to do it again one day when the water is clearer ... usually you can see them in the water too apparently. And one day ... I'd love to swim with them! Such gorgeous creatures!
Anyway, after that, we raced back in and changed/dried off as best we could (difficult, considering most of my clothes were now sopping wet!), and headed to the boat. The trip back on the ferry (a 20m catamaran) was pretty rough! Apparently they nearly postponed it on account of the weather - still being rather windy and rainy of course. I have never in my life been seasick, and I've been out on rough seas before. I love the water ... I feel so at home out there. But I can't in all honesty claim I didn't notice the rough seas this time.
We were being thrown about all over the place, and it was dark, and we couldn't see a thing out the windows. Plus we were watching tv, which I don't think helped. We were all mucking around chatting and having a great time ... laughing continuously and the UK girls were squealing every time we bumped (which was rather often, at least at first). It certainly wasn't terrible ... one of the staff was handing out sick bags at the start, and insisted it would be bad and we may well need one, but none of us did. I have to confess I was a little queasy though. Not horribly so, but it was a bizarre feeling!
I guess we were lucky to get home ... they did cancel some trips earlier in the week, and watching the news when I got back last night regarding the weather and flooding on the sunshine coast, it's not surprising the seas were as choppy as they were. Oh well, it was still a great trip back! And far more interesting than it would have been if the seas were flat! And in spite of my surprise in the morning that the trip was going ahead at all, the day turned out to be a rather enjoyable one. Far more so than staying home and studying! ;)
I just spent the day at the Ekka! I haven't been to the Ekka in years. I could almost say decades, only that makes me feel really old. Truth is though, I don't actually remember the last time I went. I was pretty young. My incredibly vague and patchy memories are so old I can barely place them. I guess it was about time I returned to see it all again.
This time I was motivated by a free ticket and a commitment to a shift on the Department of Emergency Services booth. And it was totally worth the trip in! I went a little early, and spent a little over an hour looking around before the shift. Then I spent four hours handing out magnets and "scratch and sniffs" (bizarre business card sized cards which, when scratched, give off the most potent smell of burning houses), while helping kids of all ages write their names on cardboard feet and stick them on the wall.
Oh, and in amongst all this I helped to wipe down the computer games and offered hand wash gel to anyone who would take it - the hygiene focus all over the Ekka is incredible! I've also come home with complementary hand wipes. Very handy! Along with the amusing memory of the strange looks on people's faces when I asked if they'd like to wash their hands.
After my shift, I caught up with Nikki from SES and we randomly wandered around the Ekka ... exploring more than I'd had a chance to see before. We picked up as much free stuff as possible, bought a showbag (has to be done ... I got a cheap Freddo one and haven't eaten them all yet!), horrified ourselves with the price of food and drink ($4 for a bottle of coke!?), bought a lovely calendar from the hot firemen, visited the School for Travelling Show Children (fascinating!), watched a bit of stuff at the main arena, and stayed for the fireworks. Good fun!
That said, I think I'm done for a while again. I have no real desire to return any time soon. I got my free Emergency Services shirt, I got my free entry, I had my dagwood dog (let's face it, noone needs more than one of those every ten to twenty years). Next Ekka week I'll just appreciate the bonus public holidays and avoid the crowds, as I'm far more used to doing. Incidentally, this week ten years ago I was on my school Snowy trip. Such happy memories! How time flies.
The football season has begun again! Proper football that is ... the type I still can't get used to calling soccer. I'm becoming such a fan too! This year, I've purchased season membership to the Roar ... eleven home games, and I have tickets to them all already! Well, they're coming out in the mail at least ... along with a few other supporter bits and pieces. So exciting! I'll be going to each home game with a friend from uni and another from SES ... along with anyone else we can drag along on the day. First home game in a couple of weeks ... can't wait!
Meanwhile, the English Premier League has kicked off this weekend, and Everton has won their first game against Wigan. Very good! I've spent far too much time procrastinating today as well, figuring out where all our Aussie boys are playing this season, and as such which teams I'll attempt to follow the results of. Such fun! Procrastination is so, so easy!
Uni work, on the other hand, is suffering dearly. Thank goodness it's Ekka week ... no Brownies or Gumnuts this week, and no classes on Wednesday. I am heading into the Ekka one day to help man a stand for the Department of Emergency Services (and SES), and will probably have a look around afterwards - I haven't been to the Ekka in years! But otherwise I should have a little more time at home this week than usual. Hopefully enough time to catch up all the work I should have done already!
Then on Sunday Annette (from Sweden, and prior to that Pax) flies in with a group of UK Guides! Such excitement! Will be so lovely to catch up with Annette, and also to meet all the UK Guides. So exciting to have international visitors!
For now, however, I shall need to sleep I think! I have a ridiculously early start in the morning. While everyone else in the area has a public holiday tomorrow, I must go to uni. Such is the hardship of living in one city and going to uni in another. On the flip side, at least all the shops nearby are open when I have my day off. :)
I seem to have completely lost all ability to post regularly. I'm not entirely sure what it is that's stopping me. Time is obviously a factor, but to be completely honest ... I could always find or make time if I needed to. Motivation also seems to be lacking somewhat, or perhaps inspiration more so than motivation. It's a little disconcerting really. I need to somehow reignite the desire to post.
I think I'm wasting too much time on Facebook, and spending more time than I usually do emailing. These activities seem to be taking the place of what time I would usually spend blogging and reading the blogs of others. And as much as I enjoy Facebook and emailing, I think I need to return to my traditional release ... life doesn't seem quite right without the world of blogs.
For now though, I need sleep. After SES Working Safely at Heights training on Sunday, uni and Brownies on Monday, yoga, uni and a Qld Roar training session Tuesday, then uni, Gumnuts and SES yesterday ... I spent most of today relaxing and ultimately being rather unproductive. Not something I really had time for! So tomorrow, I must get up and study. I must have something to show for my efforts at the end of the day!
Did anyone else see Sunrise this morning, and the segment with Jono Coleman? It was one of those priceless live tv moments. Jono said something ... and the others all just stared at him in complete astonishment and disbelief. They didn't know what to say or do. There was this uncomfortable silence, and he got up and walked off camera thinking he was quite amusing and clever. Little did he know!
He talked about the end of the final Harry Potter book. He mentioned all these plot lines and potential spoilers as though it were up for discussion. He just said it all. No warnings, no consideration for anyone still reading or yet to finish the book. All this supposed content just out there, hanging like some evil curse they weren't sure how to deal with. And it all happened so quickly, there was nothing they could do to prevent it.
Luckily it was clear to anyone who had already read and finished the book that Jono clearly hadn't. His comments were so way off anything resembling what really happened, so they were at least able to quickly reassure everyone with that little piece of news. The other presenters were horrified though. You could see their discomfort, and their anger. If I didn't sympathise so much, I'd probably find the whole situation ridiculously amusing. They spent the next few segments insisting that Jono had made everything up, clearly trying to win back their viewers.
The matter it seems didn't die there though. Jono Coleman, long time Sunrise reporter and contributor, has been suspended from the program ... indefinitely. Bet he's regretting those comments now! Rather interesting how serious we Potter fans can be when it comes to spoilers though. This guy has effectively lost his job because of some thoughtless comments. If only others threatening to spoil the book could be punished appropriately as well.
I finished the fabulous book on Sunday night ... or rather, in the early hours of Monday morning. For the week preceding, I lived in fear of someone spoiling it for me. At any mention of the H word, I would immediately, in my most serious tone, threaten discomfort and death on anyone who dared to give anything away. Generally this was met with most the heartfelt support from fellow readers, and the topic was immediately dropped.
On one occasion though, this warning from many others as well as myself, seemed only to encourage a few immature boys in my maths class, who proceeded to shout out potential spoilers, no doubt thinking themselves awfully clever and amusing. They were, thankfully, quite ridiculous comments ... and we all dismissed them in the comforting belief they had made them up. It did still take something away from the joy of reading though ... and I do wish some punishment similar to that Jono Coleman has received could be inflicted on these boys.
If only the world of fiction could merge with our own ... perhaps then our talented magical heroes could think up some fabulous jinxes and curses that would immediately silence, identify and humiliate anyone attempting to spoil the book for anyone else. Much like the fabulous Sneak curse Hermione employs in the fifth book. Wouldn't it just be the most ideal punishment!?