I'M NOT DEAD!

Hurah for procrastination!

Anyway I am meant to be working on a comic fror my University's Student Services and my deadline got pushed to TOMORROW! So naturally I can think of a million other things to do.

Such as LISTEN TO CHRISTMAS CAROLS! Christmas is one of my favourite times of year but its been a bit different from other years this year. For one I have been BUSY BUSY BUSY! Having been working nearly all of my holidays so far (almost a month and a half), working on other projects, coaching on a leadership program, being really involved in my church youth group, diocesan youth events, not to mention this internship I got and this comic I am meant to be finishing...

But secondly I have been CAROLLING (as part of my youth group)! It's been SO much fun! I haven't sang this much since high school!! but it's really got the Christmas spirit in me. For once it actually feels like Christmas! And have been listening to carol covers on youtube too!!

Safe to say I have been packing my days and it is a little tiring.

BUT I do want to update because on top of all that, I'm getting my designing-crafting ON! (that totally didnt make sense) in any case I will post those up after this as this little update post is getting long enough!!

I will leave you with the lovely Gabe Bondoc and his cover of Harry Conic Jr's "Sleigh Ride" (one of my favourites!)

AND a photo of the christmas lights I hung up in my room last week, it's festive! :)

♥ Julie

Chess Set Multimedia Presentation

IT IS FINITO!

Well it was last week.. but I finally have it on me to post up for public viewing :)

just a little break

Well I will be taking an official break from this blog between now and my holidays.

Anyway for those of my friends on facebook and/or the people who follow my tumblr you may be sick of hearing this but I am organising a gig at The Loft @ UTS! It's on Friday June 11 (my last day of uni) and features music performances from the UTS student body (plus an extra or two) to showcase the musical talent found at uni. It starts at 1pm till 4.30, half an hour before happy hour! So here is a link. Come and check it out!

Other than that next week, I have a GAZILLION assignments to do so I should get back to it!

j*

rain, rain, go away..

conveniently just as I'm about to go walking out and about the city with my a3 paper folder and bag which doesn't zip up. Please?

I otherwise quite like the rain. But it was POURING today! WAY to wet to be out. But lovely staying in and sleeping weather I must add for those who didn't have uni today. It rained so much that the Central tunnel was flooding! (that kind of sounded like it was meant to be a 'yo mama' joke) I would have taken a picture but I cbf taking my camera out after wrapping it up in my scarf and putting it in my bag to protect it from getting wet.

Anyway it has yet again been AGES since my last post! This is happening increasingly frequently (I don't think that makes complete sense but I'm sure you get my point.. right?) and I don't like that happening. Oh well I will just blame my 'busy' life of a gagillion assessments and my instinct to resist going home early for this. Hopefully things will pick up again when I go on holiday for 7 weeks.

UPDATE!

I GOT MY LENS FOR MY SLR ON MONDAY! Funny story which I'm sure a few people have heard by now. 

I was just about to leave the house to go to uni but then the package arrived. I knew it was my lens and then I was struck by a dilemma. Do I go and catch my train? Or do I stay and open up the box? Not THAT big of a dilemma, looking back I took the obvious choice. STAY AND OPEN IT! And  must say that it was a good choice.

Sure I missed my train and the one after and ended up missing my lecture all together but I finally got to play with my Canon 450D SLR!

First picture I took with my lens... yeah I could have done better but meh

Also new photoblog! To go with my new camera! Here is a link: http://intheordinary.tumblr.com/ CHECK IT OUT! 

Tuesday was the biggest fail photo shoot meet up EVER. Spent the whole afternoon looking for yarn with these three monkeys;

From free lunch and custard puffs to laughing hysteria and a one sided food fight. Despite not doing what we set out to do it was quite the enjoyable afternoon. Walking from uni to Market city to China Town to World Square to Town Hall and QVB. Lots of exercise! Also had a Landmark seminar that evening and was taking pictures in the harbour to kill time.

Wednesday  was quite entertaining. I showed up to a 4 our tutorial late without my fold which had majority of my work in it. Walked to USyd where Pansy and Belle had an acoustic gig. Lionel left her phone at uni and was MIA but fortunately I saw lots of other PHS kiddies! Had lunch, packed lunch. Then a small trip to the graffiti tunnel and the quad with my personal tour guide and umbrella and folder case holding chauffeur, Plate Face. He really is too nice. Then the wind and rain decided to pick up just as I was headed back to central. My leather boots were soaked through at my toes! But was a good day, 250+ photos taken!

And that's a wrap of my week so far. Pretty good no? Anyway it's 3.30am and I have uni! So I should hit the sheets now.

Farewell blogger, let's hope I return in the VERY near future.

*j

The life and times of an Industrial Design student..

Firstly, OMG it's been so long since my last post! Well my last essay anyway, I guess i have just been 'busy'.

Well I have a whole new bunch of assignments for uni again. What do I need to do? Lots of STUFF! Like

• watch people riding bikes, then interview people, then design stuff and write stuff about people cycling
• design and make and interactive object/system thing for the home (group work!!)
• some hair dryer/ drill design thing (I designed a bubble gun!)
• cut up blocks of foam and styrofoam and stick them together and draw them
• an ad for soy milk (any ideas?)
• redesign the umbrella (wish me luck)

Yeah. I think it's ALL due in the last week of sem. I predict NO sleep.. But it's okay come Friday afternoon, the first installment of gigs at the Loft. By students, for students (and the general public who come in on Fridays). Not only that. I'm on holiday for SEVEN MONTHS!

But yeah uni isn't all bad assignments and crap. I'm actually loving uni right now! All the ID kids are so close these days even though we've only known each other THREE MONTHS, not even (though a few people might have known each other from high school but the vast majority, like myself came in knowing nobody. It would also seem our little Friday arvo/nights at the bar are increasing in the number of people attending which is all quite fun. Some people have brought friends who are also looking to become regulars. But Friday is bar night after class. I swear uni is going to turn me into an alco!

More on the gigs at the Loft, I shall be gigging!! Not only that I am kind of the one behind the whole thing.. so I NEED YOUR SUPPORT please. I need to find people from uni to perform. I need to break into the non-first year students. How? Not sure yet. I don't have that many connections. BUT if you know someone who is musical and wants a gig or wouldn't mind performing please let me know ASAP! I shall ask my brother.

Also we need money to stage the show! Any suggestions on who we can go for sponsorship? We only really need a couple hundred dollars for equipment rental and stuff. But stay tuned a Facebook event for it should be up an ready by the end of the week!

Yeah. So that's what I've been up to. OH I got my Canon 450D the other day!!! Sadly no lens yet but yeah. Also the lovely Lynneal has chosen me as the subject for her photography portrait assignment. Photoshoot shall be on Thursday, should be fun.

Also I'm following 57 blogs on my blogger.. I didn't realise till just then. It's quite a lot aye..?

That's all. Goodnight. I have work to do..

*j

i love...

JOHN MAYER!

That man is AMAZING!! One of my favourite artists of all time. Many of his songs in my all time favourites list.

Watched him in concert today for his Heartbreak Warfare tour. It was SOOO good!! And I love how he sang nearly all my favourite songs from previous albums! No Such Thing, Vultures, In Your Atmosphere and Gravity!! Among others. The crowd went OFF!

SUCH a talented musician and he has the smoothest voice! His falsetto is breathtaking and he's a lovely songwriter to boot!

I also love how he doesn't perform songs exactly how it is in the recording. What you hear is fresh and exclusive to the concert audience. He also interacts with the crowd HEAPS! 

I CAN'T WAIT TILL HE COMES BACK TO TOUR AGAIN!! 

*j

I practically live on facebook. I swear I turn on the computer as soon as I get home and go on msn and log into facebook (okay I don't log in, I automatically log in so really just open up facebook in the browser). ANYWAY as I was saying, I feel quite no-life like for doing that. 

I really should have better things to do. Like Make stuff!! Draw! CLEAN MY ROOM! Or finish rearranging my room. I guess I use the excuse that all my music is on the computer so I sit her and listen as I surf away on the net. Speaking of which I am listening to Kimya Dawson at the moment.

I really should go and clean my room though and start making things again. Like a new pencil case. A folder for all my A3 uni stuff. Something out of green gingham fabric (which I have HEAPS of). OH I also have to make a birthday card for a friend who turned 18 yesterday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESS!! We have known each other since we were tiny. But she is having a little party thing on Saturday which I shall be attending and helping set up according to my mother (we were family friends at first). But I shall head off to Glebe markets in the morning with my lovely friend Shuang, where I shall find something to give her which is uniquely Glebe because Glebe is just AWESOME!

I swear I haven't crafted for AGES! Almost two and a half months! That's intense stuff. I don't even remember how I used to do things. Like my style of crafting. I forgot, OH MY GOSH! And since Ive been exposed to all different types of design (design faculty - go figure). I blame uni! It's so much work but I don't hate it enough to procrastinate my work and to craft instead (something that happened to me quite a bit during school - what would you rather do? Craft? English essay? No competition). 

I miss crafting though. I still have unfinished things from Christmas which is just sitting in my room collecting dust. And I am so tired and sleepy after eating dinner. Just feel like sitting here and browse through blogs.. or sleep.

Well that's it.

*j

Well I was watching Austrlia's got talent and a reply at that! When this kid came on.



And OMG he's just FIFTEEN!! His voice is so.. swoon worthy. Just need to find a guy my age with a voice like that!

Continuing..

Hello again. I am back to finish typing up more about my lovely Friday. Though I actually didn't end up going to the shops like I said I would, the shopping trips was canceled so I ended up sleeping the afternoon away, much cheaper!

So yes my Friday.

It started off fairly ordinary. Went to bed in the wee early hours of the evening, I had an assignment due (but alas! It wasn't an all nighter). Woke up late, had no idea what to wear. barely got any breakfast in me before getting dropped off at the station, needing to run down the stairs as the train came only just after I set foot on the outside steps.

Got to uni on time thank goodness. I must note the lack of buskers in the central tunnel that morning. There was NONE! It was kind of strange. Well got to my computing class and handed my work in. Bludgiest class of semester. Even got out half an hour early. Good thing too, I finished rendering my freehand homework, and it didn't turn out too bad either. Got some good feedback on it, I'm good with perspective and after that classes exercises was told that apparently I like drawing on on coloured more more than white paper.

And after class I was off to the loft for a jam! Have to say it wasn't much of a jam. One of my friends bailed and the rest said they'd be coming later. So really it was just David and I entertaining some other friends till they left and then random singing of songs before heading down to join festivities in the Glasshouse (the lovely Kathy turned 18 yesterday, apparently they were off celebrating down stairs.

But we found the remains of them in the courtyard of the Loft. So there we sit, guitar out again providing some light entertainment. Having a sip or two of Niki's cocktail. Shuang pops by and a few people leave (the birthday girl included) and then others from the late finishing classes arrive as well.

These two don't ACTUALLY play the guitar... what posers

Talk, music and drinks all round! The sky got darker and the fairy lights light up the tree behind us. The Loft really is a pretty place to hang out, minus the uneven courtyard flooring and wobbly tables leading to three broken glasses. SO wasn’t my fault! But yeah, better still not having paid for any of your own drinks (still being owed a shot!), now having a regular bar meet up established on Friday arvos and hanging with the cutest Swedish exchange student ever!

cute swedish exchange student.. don't know what they are looking at

    

hiding the evidence! LOL

But it was thoroughly enjoyable! Failed group photo attempts, singing and a photo with the gorilla man! But wait! The night is not yet over! At about 6.30 we split, half because we bailed from the table after breaking the glasses and because some of us had places to be and others went home. I was off to Minna’s. 

The gorilla man! Who I later find out is actually one of my friends doing engineering.. very LOL!

Our one NON-fail group photo

I trained it there straight from the city and was going to get picked up by Remon. But when I got to the station I saw a group of guys hanging round on the bridge leading out from the station. I was thinking.. "oh no this could be trouble" Then I had another look.. "OH it's the guys!" They had come to pick me up from the station and we all walked back to Minna's together. 

And what do I find when I get there? Rachel and Geraldine doing uni work! STUDYING! NERDS! But it was an entertaining night. A smallish group gathering involving pizza, 300, alcohol and karaoke. Someone said it feels schoolies-esqe and I must agree. Group shots of “SOju” and milkis. Teaching Rachel to skull, though she still fails. And the girls sharing their uni eye candy with our awesome facebook stalking skills! All in various stages of non-soberness from completely sober (like the ones driving) to the completely GONE (i.e. Remon).

tower of MILKIS

I guess nothing EPIC happened but it was fun being back in our group dynamic. I came home at 1 and slept like a baby. I swear alco either makes me enjoy myself or just really sleepy..

So that was my awesome Friday. Probably doesn't sound that awesome but maybe it's one of those you had to be there kind of things. Can't really be bothered uploading pics, will probably do that tomorrow (today? it's already past 12).

Well I'm out and most likely off to bed to read some Frankie till I fall asleep.

*j

Note: I have to say that I'm excited for a boy scouting date with Ama on Wednesday! And YAY for acoustic music sessions!

Edit: Photos put up!

Poke her face!

This is probably the closest I will EVER get to liking Lady GayGay...



Enjoy!

*j

Battle Studies

Who is going to see John Mayer in concert?!

ME!!!

OH MY GOSH!!!! I am SOOO excited!!! Can't wait till May 8!!

Tickets went on sale this morning and luckily my lovely friend and music buddy, Mitch was standing by to get us tickets. Good thing too, the concert sold out in 6 MINUTES! I feel so lucky to have a ticket! Also watching with me is Mitch of course, Lynneal and Geraldine! It will be AWESOME!!!!

I am so HAPPY! YAY!... okay I'll stop now.

*j

SOO FREAKING AWESOME!!!!

Check out this crazy cool mix by POGO of music and sounds from the Disney Pixar film Up.





If you have not hear it yet also check out the Alice mix where the sounds were taken from Disney's Alice in Wonderland.

I swear Pogo is a GENIUS!!!

*j

NEWS!

Well it has been a while since my last post. I don't even remember what or when my last post was. BUT it's because my net has been capped for the past week, so very sad... I have been limiting my blog and tumbr access because of it.

ANYWAY

I'm in a good mood. WHY?! Because I just got my learners license. Yep! I just did the Driver Knowledge Test this morning for my L's and passed with rainbows! (flying colours - yeah I'm lame, live with it. I do) 100% baby! Yeah and now that I do have my L's it's time for me to still let everyone drive me around everywhere. I basically just got them for ID or proof of age not because I actually want to drive..

ALSO

Remember my post about jazz/funk band Brown Sugar?! Well apparently that name has already been taken and have now been renamed to Munky Biznits. Personally I still really like Brown Sugar, shame it's taken but and Munky Biznitz doesn't quite do it for me (Luke if you're reading this sorry but that's just my opinion). Been chatting to one of the band members (Viet - guitarist) about the name change recently. Other alternatives mentioned have been things like Pear Suite, Custard Phunk and a combination of the two in Pear Phunk and Custard Suite. I like the pear and the suite because I like pears and suite is a cool word. Maybe these alternative can be filtered to the band... If I had a band I would like to name it Sans Serif or something.. Anyone want to start a band with me??

And yeah... I think that's all.

WAIT

Just a few other random things: (other news and my calendar for the rest of the month...)

• I finished the Landmark Advanced Course! And am starting the Self-Expression and Leadership Program on the 27th!
• Namrata's surprise 18th birthday and farewell celebration yesterday went well! I had a lot of fun and she really was surprised! And it was kind of a SFHVB reunion minus Ama.
• Friday (tomorrow) night is Liv's 18th birthday and farewell party and and I'm excited to go! I just need lifts...
• Sunday is Valentines! ♥
• Wednesday - off to the city with Shuang to check out her artwork in Art Express! AND there is a landmark special evening if anyone wants to come!!
• Next Friday is UTS orientation registration thing!
• 22 - 26th is O-Week!! For unis (Maqcuarie starts classes). My enrollment is right in the middle of that week.
• 28th - MY LAST DAY OF HOLIDAYS!

Yeah.. more than half of that didn't really need to be said but OH WELL. If you are a stalker lucky you! (okay just a tad creepy).

Bye bye lovelies,

*j

♥

 

Edit: I don't know how to make this fit! ><

100% Natural

A belated post about the Brown Sugar gig I went to last Wednesday night at Richmond club. Brown Sugar is a new up and coming, Sydney based jazz/funk band, their tagline 100% Natural. Two of the band members happen to be some of my music buddies from school. Alara on sax and flute and Viet on guitar. The other band members are; Tim Coggins - trombone, Luke Stephens - trumpet, Reece Grogan - drums, Tom Brown - bass and Tom Urquhart on keyboard.

Brown Sugar. 100% Natural. The band members from left to right: Reece, Tim, Tom, Luke, Alara, Tom & Viet

The band sounded awesome, the company was lovely and the atmosphere was laid back - just as it should be. It was a great night out with a jam session after, even with someone sitting on the evil stool in front of us, blocking our view for the first half of the gig. I would definitely consider going to another gig! So guys keep me updated!! (even though I doubt any of the band actually read my blog).

Inside the Jazz Basement at Richmond Club. The view from our booth
(minus the evil stool).

And OMG they played the MARIO THEME!!! SO FREAKING AWESOME! Sound quality isn't that great. YOU HAVE TO HEAR IT LIVE!!!

This was also the first outing of the Camera Club (Ben, Shuang & I) since it's formation on 9th January, 2010. We also had two other photographers (Salil & Jayanie) join us as guest members that night. 5 people. 6 cameras - 4 digital cameras. 1 digital SLR. 1 Lomo Diana Mini. It was fun.Hopefully the Camera Club can have another outing some time in the future. Might be easier with us all going to uni in the city. Ben (Visual Communications) and I (Industrial Design) at UTS and Shuang (Architecture) just down the road at USyd. Or not, you know, we'll see.

CAMERA CLUB! Left to right.
Original members: Me, Ben, Shuang. Guest members: Salil, Jayanie

Anyway back to the topic. Brown Sugar. 100% Natural. Jazz. Funk. Support them! They are awesome!

*j

sunday morning...

...rain is falling

No, not really but I do quite like that song. For those not in the know the song is Sunday Morning by Maroon 5 from their 'Songs About Jane' album, it's one of my all time favourite songs.

So it's Sunday and after sleeping in and missing church this morning I am now enjoying a late breakfast of French toast with cream and maple syrup (now that's that real stuff not the maple flavoured syrup, the fake stuff). Okay so I was enjoying some French toast, it is now getting cold on the kitchen bench  while I sit here typing up this post, oh what a dedicated blogger I am. In reality I just get distracted easily...

Now this morning while writing out this post in my brother's room on his laptop, I realised that my brother has a lot of nick names for me. Here is a list of them:

Jilly

J dozzle
Fag doe

J doe
J dog

Fag

J
Julz

The newest is Jilly. Now he doesn't have phases with these nick names or anything, he just uses them all interchangeably depending on what he wants or the situation. I have no idea how he remembers them all.

I also noticed, even though this post is titled 'sunday morning' it was already afternoon when I started typing, go figure. I did get up around 10.30 after sleeping REALLY late reorganising and cleaning my room in preparation of my cousins coming and staying over our place for a while.

...

And about 8 hours after starting this post I am back to finish with no idea what I was going to go on with. I really should learn how to finish posts in one sitting. I'm not very good at it. It's normally the reason why I have a lot of draft posts because by the time I get back to it what I have written doesn't seem so relevant or what not.

Now I said I would post more on the things I have made for Christmas but I haven't made much else and all my pictures are on the other computer and still need photoshopping so I will have to post them up later. I can however post a few pictures from my recent Christmas celebrations (as soon as I can relocate the memory card from my camera).

Christmas eve:

After all most of the presents were opened.

All crowded around one of those I Spy type books, but easier and for kids, funny how it's mostly the older folk crowded around.

Christmas day:

Helped my cousin make some of the Lego car sets that he got for Christmas. I miss Lego. I want some for Christmas!!

Waiting for MORE presents on Christmas day.

And that was my Christmas in four pictures. Not a very good representation of what actually happened but it's good enough for now.

Also I found something new that I want to get! The Diana F+ Delux Pack!!

It is valued at $550 on the Lomography site but I found it on Ebay for ONLY $255! That's a BARGAIN! But I don't know if I'm going to get it yet because I still want that Canon 450D SLR and don't want to spend all my money. What do you, my lovely readers think I should do? Well there are only 6 left on Ebay so I need to decide fairly soon.

Speaking of Lomos and Diana, I NEED MORE FILM!! Especially because I am going to be starting my photography project VERY SOON!! OMG NEW YEAR IS HERE!! Yeah, I have one roll of film developed but my stupid brother didn't pick it up after work on Christmas eve and I haven't been to the shops so I STILL don't have it, maybe tomorrow. But I think I should stock up and get at least 3 more rolls, which should be enough to last me a little while. But fingers crossed for my project Three hundred and sixty-five six (leap year) photographs. (Who ever told me it was a leap year next year can go die... not really but I was stupid enough to believe you, that's right YOU)  

Anyway I think I have rambled a sufficient amount to make up for the past few post-less days. Shall be back with more photos and hopefully some scans of developed photographs from my Diana Mini.

Till I can find the time to post again,

*j

Fireflies

Anyone heard of Owl City? It's Adam Young's one man 'electronica-pop' band. Not normally my cup of tea (not that I drink tea other than Easy Way and iced tea) but I do like his stuff. Fireflies is one of his new songs (at least I think so, to me it's new) and I have to say it is one of my favourite songs at the moment. It has rekindled my liking for Owl City again, really even just the name is cool. Check out his site!

And OH MY GOSH Owl City is coming to SYDNEY in March! Best part is that he'll be performing a UNSW! YAY there are perks to (most probably) getting into my second choice uni (although still hoping that I make it). He'll be coming round with Cobra Starship so that should be some fun.

ALSO check out Kina Grannis' cover of Fireflies. I LOVE it! I think half the reason why I'm loving Fireflies so much right now is because her cover is awesome. Kina is an singer-songwriter who has been spreading her stuff through youtube. She is VERY good and has a new album is coming out next year. Unfortunately she's in the states and doubt she'll be coming down here any time soon but fingers are crossed. Visit her site!

Now I would post up the video of her cover here but I'm not entirely sure how to do that yet, so if someone wants to teach me please do!

Edit: Here's the vid of Kina's cover.

Thanks Gail for helping me out!

Anyway my room is NOT going to tidy itself so I shall go do that.

See you later alligator(s)!

*j

P.S. I'm posting from my brother's laptop in my room! He is in Queensland and I have been taking advantage of his laptop because he left it at home. Hehe...

Bag of hammers

"Shake, shake, shake, shake the frame of this house!"

I LOVE this song right now! It's like an instant good mood put to music.

I'm at a lost for words for once. How odd.

*j