Australia's been knocked out of the World Cup. And in the most dishonourable, cruel way possible. A last second penalty by Totti through the net.
I am personally disgusted by such a blatant fall by Grosso - it was clearly a deliberate trip over Lucas Neill, and as such, means that the Italians retain their reputation as Olympic gold medallist divers.
The game was such a good one until it was soured by that penalty too. Back and forth across the field like a pinball (of sorts), both the Socceroos and the Azzuri making shots at goal. Granted Materazzi's red card was harsher than it should have been, the fact that referee Contalejo decided to even things up by perhaps giving the Italians a shot at goal for the supposed fall Grosso took after falling over Neill.
If the game had gone into extra time, then I am quite confident that we would have gotten through to the top 8, to play against Ukraine.
As with many Aussies around the nation, I am up in arms at this outrage. The only consolation I have is that Australia comes home showing it is a force to be reckoned with in the world game, while the Italians, winning in such dishonourable measures, will have lost the respect of (world) football afficiandos around the world.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Friday, June 23, 2006
The World Game vs Exams - 1-2 exams' way
Dear god (I really should say Buddha, or Unknown Cosmic Force, depending on what phase I happen to be in), like most other students, I hate exams. Thank heavens that I've done two out of three of them!
I know I shouldn't whine, because my comrades have an exam every day starting Tuesday, their last one for the week being earlier today. I feel glad that I actually managed to pass Microbiology last year - I avoided a second 8am lesson and a Tuesday exam.
Wednesday - the day of my first exam and a whole field of laughs pre-exam. I wake up late, realising I had forgotten to properly set my alarm, bound out and am ready to go by 0830 hours - teeth brushed, showered, shaved, clean clothes, liquid breakfast. I arm the alarm and rush out of the house. I quickly start up the car, reverse it out onto the driveway, only to find that I hadn't realised that my mum was still in the house when I armed the alarm system. I drive out behind her car, toot the horn, and then she has to come out to the front to clear the driveway. She comes out, and feeling lazy, simply gives me the keys while she finishes her beauty treatment, demonstrating herself as one of those types of women who take forever to get ready. So, not much time left, I squeeze into her car, drive it out across the (busy) street, taking care not to cause accidents with (parents of) late Wilderness students, before quickly getting in and zooming off in my car after clearing the driveway. Great - I lose ten minutes. I am told later that my mum didn't realise that I had armed the alarm system, and it went off about ten minutes or so after I left, and she was left to explain to the security man that it was a misunderstanding.
Feeling that I could try to take a shortcut and avoid the traffic, I decide to try driving all the way up and around the Adelaide CBD, driving onto Greenhill Road to the Showgrounds for my exam. Unfortunately, many others had the same idea, resulting in twenty minutes of stop-and-go. Lots of fun.
I end up arriving ten minutes late and five minutes into reading time.
I feel that I studied better this time around (plus a better grasp of the course material and the SRB teacher's tendency to recycle half of last year's exam), because this time, I actually did the questions and knew how to do most of them, unlike last year. Looking back, I feel that somehow I've grown. Maybe, at least, I've developed better study skills.
The World Cup is on, and like many others in this great country we call Australia, I've gone World Cup mad. Granted, I probably went a bit mad about the world game a few days prior to the Australia vs Japan game. I wonder if it was the fact that I played soccer in high school (albeit with a less-than-sterling performance). In any case, I've been one of those nutters who have been getting up at ungodly times of the night to watch the live telecasts of the Australian match - much to my brother's annoyance.
The game Australia vs Japan I was going for both sides, so when Japan scored that first goal, I shouted out "Nihon banzai!" This woke my dad, who didn't know what the hell was going on, and annoyed my brother. I similarly cheered when Australia scored their goals, screaming "YEAH!" at the top of my lungs and punching the air.
The game vs Brazil was obviously more tame, but I was still going "go go go!" whenever the Aussies were scoring and looked like they were going to shoot, or whining at the ref. Honestly, the ref was showing such obvious bias in that game.
The Australia vs Croatia match this morning ... it was just a glorious game. Hard fought on both sides, shots here and there (mostly down the Croatian end of the field), and the fact that it was at 4:30am just annoyed my brother - he told me later that he got woken up by me shout of triumph when Craig Moore scored the first goal, and then just as he was getting back to sleep, I noisily come up and brush my teeth at half-time. Then my cheers at Australia's scores later on annoyed him further on, to the point where he just gave up trying to sleep. The ref was just so stupid though - as many have complained, just missing things like a very obvious penalty, awarding three yellow cards before red-carding, although I have to admit, his bad reffing meant that Harry Kewell's equalising goal wasn't disallowed, so I suppose it's not all bad.
GO AUSSIE GO!!
I know I shouldn't whine, because my comrades have an exam every day starting Tuesday, their last one for the week being earlier today. I feel glad that I actually managed to pass Microbiology last year - I avoided a second 8am lesson and a Tuesday exam.
Wednesday - the day of my first exam and a whole field of laughs pre-exam. I wake up late, realising I had forgotten to properly set my alarm, bound out and am ready to go by 0830 hours - teeth brushed, showered, shaved, clean clothes, liquid breakfast. I arm the alarm and rush out of the house. I quickly start up the car, reverse it out onto the driveway, only to find that I hadn't realised that my mum was still in the house when I armed the alarm system. I drive out behind her car, toot the horn, and then she has to come out to the front to clear the driveway. She comes out, and feeling lazy, simply gives me the keys while she finishes her beauty treatment, demonstrating herself as one of those types of women who take forever to get ready. So, not much time left, I squeeze into her car, drive it out across the (busy) street, taking care not to cause accidents with (parents of) late Wilderness students, before quickly getting in and zooming off in my car after clearing the driveway. Great - I lose ten minutes. I am told later that my mum didn't realise that I had armed the alarm system, and it went off about ten minutes or so after I left, and she was left to explain to the security man that it was a misunderstanding.
Feeling that I could try to take a shortcut and avoid the traffic, I decide to try driving all the way up and around the Adelaide CBD, driving onto Greenhill Road to the Showgrounds for my exam. Unfortunately, many others had the same idea, resulting in twenty minutes of stop-and-go. Lots of fun.
I end up arriving ten minutes late and five minutes into reading time.
I feel that I studied better this time around (plus a better grasp of the course material and the SRB teacher's tendency to recycle half of last year's exam), because this time, I actually did the questions and knew how to do most of them, unlike last year. Looking back, I feel that somehow I've grown. Maybe, at least, I've developed better study skills.
The World Cup is on, and like many others in this great country we call Australia, I've gone World Cup mad. Granted, I probably went a bit mad about the world game a few days prior to the Australia vs Japan game. I wonder if it was the fact that I played soccer in high school (albeit with a less-than-sterling performance). In any case, I've been one of those nutters who have been getting up at ungodly times of the night to watch the live telecasts of the Australian match - much to my brother's annoyance.
The game Australia vs Japan I was going for both sides, so when Japan scored that first goal, I shouted out "Nihon banzai!" This woke my dad, who didn't know what the hell was going on, and annoyed my brother. I similarly cheered when Australia scored their goals, screaming "YEAH!" at the top of my lungs and punching the air.
The game vs Brazil was obviously more tame, but I was still going "go go go!" whenever the Aussies were scoring and looked like they were going to shoot, or whining at the ref. Honestly, the ref was showing such obvious bias in that game.
The Australia vs Croatia match this morning ... it was just a glorious game. Hard fought on both sides, shots here and there (mostly down the Croatian end of the field), and the fact that it was at 4:30am just annoyed my brother - he told me later that he got woken up by me shout of triumph when Craig Moore scored the first goal, and then just as he was getting back to sleep, I noisily come up and brush my teeth at half-time. Then my cheers at Australia's scores later on annoyed him further on, to the point where he just gave up trying to sleep. The ref was just so stupid though - as many have complained, just missing things like a very obvious penalty, awarding three yellow cards before red-carding, although I have to admit, his bad reffing meant that Harry Kewell's equalising goal wasn't disallowed, so I suppose it's not all bad.
GO AUSSIE GO!!
Sunday, June 11, 2006
No worst, there is none
Just who am I? What am I? I have been asking myself the same question over and over for the past couple of hours. What have I done that is of note?
The answer to the third defines the answer to the first two. What have I done? Nothing at all. I have not won any particularly prestigious awards, I don't excel in any particular area, nor am I successful with the ladies. So therefore, this in mind, what am I?
The only thing I can think of as I turn these questions over and over in my mind is nothing. Or trash. Whichever one you take. Trash sounds more interesting. My academic record is VERY mediocre, I'm nothing good to look at (testament to the fact that the majority of my friends are guys), I don't have money (in fact, as of this post, I am broke), nor am I physically fit. So what am I? Useless, worthless trash. Domineering parents steer my every move, invade my privacy, arbitrarily control almost every move I make. I can't break out of this house because that requires money, and I have none. I have no transport, so I can't escape this house. Almost everything that makes me happy my parents disapprove of, my friends are distant and either simply leave me alone, or seemingly forget about me until I remind them that I'm there. I don't blame them, since I've been doing the same thing - not talking to them through MSN or trying to arrange to see them more. I've grown apart from them, in some ways, I suppose, and now my social web (as well as my mental web) is cracking.
Escape is one of the only things I know I want to do, but am unable to, due to the fact I have no money, nor do I think that I have any friends who'd willingly let me crash at their place for a few weeks. The escape that comes from the slash across (or down, I can't remember which) the wrist seeems appealing, yet when I raise the knife to do it, I find my resolve falters. I'm so weak. I can't even escape that way. In the end, all I do is trace the knife up and down my wrist, leaving faint red lines along them and maybe a white one from the gentle press of the knife.
I look to the window, and think perhaps simply dashing my brains on the cement might be good. But no, I can't even bring myself to get up and even open the windowsill. My resolve is not iron, but brittle.
My so-called "mother" acts the victim, constantly moaning that she does all the housework herself, and that noone helps her. Why not ask my so-called "father" to help her? All he does is sit down and watch TV or tend to his business in one way or the other. Not like he does much aside from working outside the house to earn money. Oh wow, he works like a dog to earn money, pay the bills. Well, fuck you. Noone ever asked you to do the housework, it's something you do yourself. You are controlling, domineering, pontificating, hypocritical, materialistic and opinionated as fuck. On good days, you pass for tolerable. On bad days, you are nothing but a bitch with a axe to grind on my head.
To "father:" you are prejudiced, spiteful, patronising, so fucking high and mighty, and act as though your shit smells like fucking perfume. On good days you might pass for "nice person." Usually, you act as though you are fucking God, and that your word is gospel, and that you know everything there is to know about everything. Well, guess what. You know NOTHIHNG at all about your so-called "son." You have never ever supported him, never ever encouraged him, never ever turned up to give positive support. It's always "Why couldn't you do better? You MUST do better, or else I will do something bad to you!"
I ask myself again. What am I? What can I do best? What will I amount to? The answer to those three questions appears to be nothing. I can't even end my own existence, I'm so worthless.
Oblivion and fading away looks ever more enticing, but how ...
The answer to the third defines the answer to the first two. What have I done? Nothing at all. I have not won any particularly prestigious awards, I don't excel in any particular area, nor am I successful with the ladies. So therefore, this in mind, what am I?
The only thing I can think of as I turn these questions over and over in my mind is nothing. Or trash. Whichever one you take. Trash sounds more interesting. My academic record is VERY mediocre, I'm nothing good to look at (testament to the fact that the majority of my friends are guys), I don't have money (in fact, as of this post, I am broke), nor am I physically fit. So what am I? Useless, worthless trash. Domineering parents steer my every move, invade my privacy, arbitrarily control almost every move I make. I can't break out of this house because that requires money, and I have none. I have no transport, so I can't escape this house. Almost everything that makes me happy my parents disapprove of, my friends are distant and either simply leave me alone, or seemingly forget about me until I remind them that I'm there. I don't blame them, since I've been doing the same thing - not talking to them through MSN or trying to arrange to see them more. I've grown apart from them, in some ways, I suppose, and now my social web (as well as my mental web) is cracking.
Escape is one of the only things I know I want to do, but am unable to, due to the fact I have no money, nor do I think that I have any friends who'd willingly let me crash at their place for a few weeks. The escape that comes from the slash across (or down, I can't remember which) the wrist seeems appealing, yet when I raise the knife to do it, I find my resolve falters. I'm so weak. I can't even escape that way. In the end, all I do is trace the knife up and down my wrist, leaving faint red lines along them and maybe a white one from the gentle press of the knife.
I look to the window, and think perhaps simply dashing my brains on the cement might be good. But no, I can't even bring myself to get up and even open the windowsill. My resolve is not iron, but brittle.
My so-called "mother" acts the victim, constantly moaning that she does all the housework herself, and that noone helps her. Why not ask my so-called "father" to help her? All he does is sit down and watch TV or tend to his business in one way or the other. Not like he does much aside from working outside the house to earn money. Oh wow, he works like a dog to earn money, pay the bills. Well, fuck you. Noone ever asked you to do the housework, it's something you do yourself. You are controlling, domineering, pontificating, hypocritical, materialistic and opinionated as fuck. On good days, you pass for tolerable. On bad days, you are nothing but a bitch with a axe to grind on my head.
To "father:" you are prejudiced, spiteful, patronising, so fucking high and mighty, and act as though your shit smells like fucking perfume. On good days you might pass for "nice person." Usually, you act as though you are fucking God, and that your word is gospel, and that you know everything there is to know about everything. Well, guess what. You know NOTHIHNG at all about your so-called "son." You have never ever supported him, never ever encouraged him, never ever turned up to give positive support. It's always "Why couldn't you do better? You MUST do better, or else I will do something bad to you!"
I ask myself again. What am I? What can I do best? What will I amount to? The answer to those three questions appears to be nothing. I can't even end my own existence, I'm so worthless.
Oblivion and fading away looks ever more enticing, but how ...
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Biotech Careers Night
Went to a biotechnology careers night yesterday (see title - I feel stupid for saying the same thing twice in as many lines now -_- ). It was pretty interesting to see the kinds of work I might be doing for honours. I wasn't originally intending on doing honours, but after finding that biotechnology is very interesting in itself, the upside was that I ran into some of my friends from third year. It was great fun ^_^
I spent the first half hour or so (after walking through absolutely nasty weather) cruising the various stands, before sitting down for a presentation. It was interesting (when I could stay awake - keynote speeches and lectures share many things - including how boring it could get. I got woken up by the sound of a mobile - my immediate neighbour's).
The best part though, was meeting up and chatting with my 3rd year friends, since I don't see them much these days. There was my friend Matt, a white boy with some of the funniest eccentricities you'll see (say schmoo to him and he'll act like the Hulk trying to restrain his anger), and my other friend Jason - Malaysian and just plain random.
And then there was my other friend, who does the biochemistry stream. I'm going to call her Toujou, because well, that's who she looked like at one point. No, not General Hideki Tojo, wartime (WWII) prime minister of Japan, but Aya Tojo, the innocent, clumsy and attractive female lead from Ichigo 100%. I am serious. We were at exams, and my friend pointed her out to me. From behind, the two are almost indistinguishable. It also happens that day she was wearing her hair tied into two pigtails - like Tojo did sometimes.
That's what made my friend like her ^_^;;
Anyways, Tojo is a pretty big otaku (in some ways bigger than me - she is very fangirlish), and from what I could infer, had really taken to getting broadband (it's been about a year since she got it - I remember asking her about what plan she was on, because I'm on the same ISP), and has what I like to call the stun-gun effect. Every so often, when you talk to her about something, she's so hyper that she'll jump up and down on the spot. It's actually quite amusing to watch.
Funny enough, Tojo was one of the two girls I tried to ask out last year. She seems to take comfort in the fact now that I'm a bigger otaku than she is, but I dunno, I think maybe she's changed her opinion of me a little. I'm beginning to wonder whether it may be time for a second round.
I spent the first half hour or so (after walking through absolutely nasty weather) cruising the various stands, before sitting down for a presentation. It was interesting (when I could stay awake - keynote speeches and lectures share many things - including how boring it could get. I got woken up by the sound of a mobile - my immediate neighbour's).
The best part though, was meeting up and chatting with my 3rd year friends, since I don't see them much these days. There was my friend Matt, a white boy with some of the funniest eccentricities you'll see (say schmoo to him and he'll act like the Hulk trying to restrain his anger), and my other friend Jason - Malaysian and just plain random.
And then there was my other friend, who does the biochemistry stream. I'm going to call her Toujou, because well, that's who she looked like at one point. No, not General Hideki Tojo, wartime (WWII) prime minister of Japan, but Aya Tojo, the innocent, clumsy and attractive female lead from Ichigo 100%. I am serious. We were at exams, and my friend pointed her out to me. From behind, the two are almost indistinguishable. It also happens that day she was wearing her hair tied into two pigtails - like Tojo did sometimes.
That's what made my friend like her ^_^;;
Anyways, Tojo is a pretty big otaku (in some ways bigger than me - she is very fangirlish), and from what I could infer, had really taken to getting broadband (it's been about a year since she got it - I remember asking her about what plan she was on, because I'm on the same ISP), and has what I like to call the stun-gun effect. Every so often, when you talk to her about something, she's so hyper that she'll jump up and down on the spot. It's actually quite amusing to watch.
Funny enough, Tojo was one of the two girls I tried to ask out last year. She seems to take comfort in the fact now that I'm a bigger otaku than she is, but I dunno, I think maybe she's changed her opinion of me a little. I'm beginning to wonder whether it may be time for a second round.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
