... so it's time for another meme. But first, I'd like to apologise for yet another lengthy delay between posts. I'm going to excuse myself with the explanation that I've been tied up with essays, exams and NaNo (which I finished off 6 days in advance yesterday). Admittedly, I also spent a fair bit of time slacking off and watching TV shows but let's just ignore that for now. Anyway, here's the meme.

11 Things About Me

1. First Name
Alan. A fairly unremarkable name given to me at birth by my Chinese/Vietnamese parents. Apparently inspired by Aussie playboy Alan Bond and Chinese pop superstar Alan Tam. Go figure.

2. Age
Oh god... I just turned 22 this year which means that I should probably be used to the idea of being an adult by now and that I should behave appropriately and actually be responsible. Of course, I'm totally not ready to face up to that yet. I'm not ready for a real job and I'm most certainly not ready to move out and fend for myself. My interests are mostly entirely age inappropriate, either being typical of someone much older (e.g. collecting fountain pens) or being typical of the kids I tutor (e.g. jumping castles and Disney films).

3. Location
As a general description, I'd say I live in Sydney, Australia. Realistically, I live about an hour south west of the CBD in a place often referred to as Whoop Whoop. That said, I was born in Melbourne which means I'm a Melbournian by birth but a Sydneysider at heart.

4. Occupation
Well, let's see... I just completed a Bachelor of Arts (originally a Bachelor of Liberal Studies but I just couldn't hack second year Latin) with majors in Psychology and Philosophy and almost a major in English. I'm hoping to undertake a Masters degree in Teaching next year but I'm also frantically plotting some contingencies in case I don't quite make it in.

As far as employment goes, I tutor English and maths to high school kids a few nights a week, do a bit of Applied Behavioural Analysis therapy with autistic kids (though I'm really only filling in for other therapists these days), and I enjoy doing a bit of volunteer work as well.

5. Partner
No romantic partner as such, but mesmerising does make for an amazing partner in all things insane.

6. Kids
I love kids, otherwise I wouldn't be spending so much time working with them. I'd love to have kids some day and hopefully be the cool dad (like Castle with Alexis). The reality is, I'll probably be one of those neo-Nazi Asian parents who expect perfection and total unquestioning obedience.

7. Siblings
I have a brother who is four years younger than me. We don't really speak as much as some siblings do but we generally get along pretty well and bond over sports and videogames. Oh, we also make a point of being on the same side and ganging up on the parentals.

8. Pets
I am not so good with animals and it took a lot of trial and error to realise this (mostly error). In the past I have been responsible for the death/loss of: Franky (a chihuahua/maltese cross), Bubbles (a mouse I originally bought for a year 10 science project), Pho, Sushi, Com Dam and Taco (all goldfish that we named after food for some unknown reason), and two unnamed hampsters that snuck into our yard from our neighbour's (and presumably snuck back out). I've been thinking about getting myself a ferret or a rabbit but I don't think my parents will be too thrilled about that.

9. The Three Biggest Things Going On In My Life
1. contingency planning for next year in case my M. Teach application falls through; 2. ongoing (and highly tedious) search for a job I'd enjoy and am actually qualified for; 3. plotting the downfall of the USyd Evangelical Union

10. Parents
I don't really see eye-to-eye with my parents on most matters and I think we've come to an unspoken agreement to not criticise eachother. That said, we still get along great and I can always count on them to back me up when the shit hits the fan

11. My Closest Friends
I've already mentioned that Sammy is my partner in all things insane. She not only inspires the madness but eggs it on to all new heights. I can always count on her to not only comprehend my whacked out ideas but sympathise with them and for that I'm eternally grateful.

The other two people I feel I can trust with anything are James and Kirsten. You couldn't possibly meet two people who were any more different. James is easygoing and a bit crazy at times and just as obsessive as I am when it comes to his main love in life (his fishies). Kirsten is all about professionalism and derives some sort of sick joy from stressing out about every little thing in her life. She's a bit of a princess and I think I spoil her rotten sometimes. I don't know why, but I seem to get along best and probably spend the most time with these two people, though rarely together, and for some reason trust them.

I also find it somewhat a coincidence that the three people I regard as my closest friends were all met through other friends. I met Sammy through Tracy's 18th, I met James through Grace (and way too many hours of pool and 500 in first year), and I met Kirsten through Ansel who I met through Libby who I met through debating. Hoorah for six degrees!

Oh, and since I have too much time (not to mention pens and inks) I'll probably be spending the next fortnight or so writing Christmas cards so if you like getting stuff in the mail, just leave me your address if I don't already have it (and maybe if I already do as well since I don't really keep track of addresses other than the ones I frequently use). Comments will be screened for once, so you won't be receiving exploding letters from random stalkers.

Once again November is here, meaning the madness has begun once again.  Amidst all the exams and essays, I also have a 50k word novel to write for NaNoWriMo.  This year, I've decided to go with the (relatively) sane idea of writing the diary of a fountain pen.  Yes, that is somewhat out of whack but consider the entries from previous years.  2006 was a 50k word rant about everything under the sun loosely tacked onto a vague (and for the most part, non-existent) autobiography.  2007 was a 50k choose-your-own-adventure featuring a vampire slaying attorney which worked backwards through the storyline and ended/started with death no matter which adventure was chosen.  2008 was a warped interpretation of T.S. Eliot's 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' into a 50k novel about a cross-dressing serial killer.  So comparatively, the diary of a fountain pen is an entirely sane idea.  Anyway, here's what I'm more or less using as the preface/author's note to the novel:

I am a pen.  And I don’t mean that in any metaphorical or spiritual sense.  I am literally a pen, a device whose intended purpose in life is to transcribe the ideas of humans, either in words or in pictures.  But I am not one of those lowly Bic pens that you can simply pick up from your local supermarket.  No.  I am far more refined an instrument than that.  I am a fountain pen, one who belongs to the renowned Waterman family of southern France.  What you are about to read, dear reader, are some thoughts and dreams from the year 2009.  Unfortunately, not all the thoughts are my own.  As a pen, when in the hand of a person, their thoughts and their words become my own.  So please excuse any random adolescent emo outbursts and philosophical rambling.  Consider yourself warned.

 

Kind regards,

 

M. Preface Waterman

In other news, I'm bored out of my skull right now and sick of dealing with car insurance people.  Oh, and here's a meme:

01. Who was your last text from?
winea replying to a 'happy birthday' text

02. Where was your default picture taken?
Nowhere.  But since this is stolen from FB, my FB profile pic was taken at Nan Tien temple.

03. Your relationship status?
Single.

04. Have you ever lost a close friend?
If I've lost them, they can't have been that close.  Barring death, of course.

05. What is your current mood?
Bored shitless.  Hence the meme.

06. How many siblings do you have?
Just one.

07. Whats your brother(s)/sister(s) names?
Tony a.k.a. the smelly one

08. Where do you wish you were right now?
Back in bed or somewhere sunny.

09. Have a crazy side?
I dance (very poorly) to ABBA while I mop and vacuum.  Crazy enough?

10. Ever had a near death experience?
How near does it have to be to count?  I've almost been run over by cars plenty of times.

11. Something you do a lot?
Procrastinate, get distracted, make sarcastic/cynical remarks.

12. Angry at anyone?
Insurance people are presently on top of my 'to kill' list.

13. What's stopping you from going for the person you like?
I suppose non-existence would be a good reason.

14. When was the last time you cried?
When I plucked out a nose hair.  That shit stings.

15. Is there anyone you would do anything for?
I'm not dying for anyone.

16. What you think about when you are falling asleep?
"I get the feeling i forgot something import... zzzzzzz"

17. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
Some incompetent insurance lady.

18. What is your favorite song?
Songs fall in and out of favour all the time but 'First Love' by Utada Hikaru is something I never get sick of.

19. What are you doing right now?
Browsing FPN, cyberstalking on FB and Twitter, watching Castle, wondering why I went for instant coffee instead of espresso

20. Who do you trust right now?
Nobody.  They're out to get me.

21. Where did you get the shirt you are wearing?
Sefton High School.  Currently wearing my P.E. polo =)

23. Who is your friend that lives closest to you?
Kirsten.

24. Describe your life in one word?
Chaotic.

25. Who are you thinking of right now?
Det. Kate Beckett.

26. What should you be doing right now?
Working on that philosophy essay due tomorrow.

27. What are you listening to?
Some wisecrack from Richard Castle.

28. Who was the last person who gave you a hug?
Jasmine (I think).

29. Who was the last person who yelled at you?
Dad.

30. Do you act differently around the person you like?
I act differently around everyone.  I'm only 'me' when I'm by myself.

31. What is your natural hair color?
Black.

32. Who was the last person to make you laugh?
mesmerising with a SG fanfic featuring a gate made of donuts.

33. Who was the last person to make you sad?
Hard to pin down.  The world is a depressing place.

34. What do you hear?
Some idiot drag racing down the street.

35. Is your hair curly or straight?
Not really curly but not really straight either.  My hair usually makes me look totally frazzled.

36. Has anyone ever called you "scrumptious" before?
XD. No.

Going about day to day life, I've come to the realisation that the majority of people in this world are immensely self-centred and give me the shits.  But every now and again, someone comes along and restores my faith in human kind, reminding me that there is some goodness left in the world.

Every year in October, there is a Pen Show held in Melbourne.  I had been planning to go this year and meet up with some fellow FPNers but unfortunately there's a tragically inconvenient assessment schedule and I'm a bit tight on cash at the moment (ironically, because of some rather pricey pen purchases) and so had to put off the trip until (hopefully) next year.  I posted a notice in one of the threads relaying my absence from the Pen Show and a few hours later received a personal message from an FPN member (whom I've never met in person and shall remain unnamed) offering to transfer $250 into my account to sponsor my trip because I "give a lot to the FPN, so [I] deserve for something to be given to [me]".  I was touched by her generousity but simply could not, in good conscience, accept her offer.

Knowing that I will be missing the company of such wonderful people makes missing the Pen Show all the more painful, but at least I can be happy with the pleasant reminder that such people exist =).

I was in need of a pen wrap but didn't want to spend too much on one nor wait for delivery so I decided to try to make one myself. I do, after all, have far too much spare time on my hands so I may as well put it to good use. I popped into Lincraft and after spending almost an hour umm-ing and uhhh-ing over which material to use, I finally opted for some lime green corduroy. I also though it'd be a good idea to have some padding so I bought a piece of felt for that purpose. It took me about half an hour to mark out the material and about another hour and a half to sew it all up. I hadn't touched a sewing machine in nigh on 8 years so some of the stitching is a bit wonky (as seen in the following photos) but for the most part, it turned out better than expected.

Some things I need to remember next time are to make the flap a bit longer so it stays in place when the wrap is tied up, make the pockets a tiny bit wider (to accomodate for fatter pens) and a tiny bit shorter (so my smaller pens don't disappear into the void), and to make the wrap around cord a bit longer. I've also yet to find an ornament I like to put on the end of the cord, so for the time being, it's just a series of knots.

Conclusion: $6 AUD of materials + 2 hours of work = pen wrap! =D