Carbon Taxes + Cate Blanchett

In light of the whole Cate Blanchett controversy with regard to her support for Carbon Tax, I was just thinking about both sides of the argument and found myself caught between two ideals. There is no denying that carbon pollution is a great problem in our 21st Century society and putting a price on carbon is something that needs to be done in some way or another. Despite that, and even though I am not usually one who'll consider Liberal's ideals, I thought about the repercussions of implementing this tax upon normal lower/middle class Australians.

It seems to me that the green movement is very much alive in the younger generation, or if I can rephrase, my generation. I keep receiving facebook invitations from a green activist girl (who is studying law due to her undying passions for human rights + the environment and which I once offended for saying, 'BLAH HUMAN RIGHTS!') telling me to 'SAY YES' to the carbon tax. Her passion for such a cause is admirable and I understand why some people of my age are taking such a stance upon the implementation of the carbon tax. We were educated in school about the pumping of carbon into the atmosphere, we learnt all about the thinning of the ozone layer, we learnt all about global warming....it all stems from our increased awareness and being global citizens, it is rightful for us to stand up for such a cause. If we do want to see a better future, us - as the future of tomorrow, we have to stand up and take initiative to stop the excessive pumping of carbon into the atmosphere. I understand it.

However, as I stand on the other side of the spectrum, from those who are totally against the carbon tax, I can similarly empathise. Apparently, the standard of living in Australia is one of the highest in the world. And despite not citing any sources from my allegation, I do agree. I visited London and was astounded at how comparably cheap their produces were and what incredible benefits they have...not to mention their brilliant health care system, one which trumps the Australian healthcare system by miles. Despite that, London transportation will never be as cheap as Sydney's. It is an incredible expense that one... Okay, getting off track. What I really want to say is that the standard of living is on the rise in Australia. Everything is getting pricier. To put it safe, it's not cheap being Australian when compared to other countries. Taxes are high as well - and do you all remember when Howard said there won't be any WHATSOEVER of the Goods + Services Tax? And yet we still saw its implementation and Australians have been paying such a tax ever since. I'm sure that even if you've not been watching those shitty current affair shows, that you must know that electricity bills, water bills etc are on the rise. Not to mention that the supermarkets in Australia basically operate under a duopoly so the big ones out there can charge you for whatever they want. The toll upon normal lower - middle class Australians will be huge if they must implement another tax. There has already been a flood tax - one that I'm not opposed to since, well, it is justified.

Apparently, Gen Y will become a generation renting houses. As I see the prices on the market, I get a little scared cause they are so ridiculously high and I am afraid I won't be able to afford housing in the future. And with the onslaught of taxes - well maybe because we're Gen Y that we won't feel the repercussions of this tax on our wages yet, since most of us are not working full time and still living with parents. But I think we'll feel the burden once we start working, once we start repaying our HECS, once we need to pay taxes, once we start paying the bills ourselves...Will we still be living as we are today?

If I'm economically incorrect in any of my paragraphs, please forgive me.

I've never studied any of that.

But this is just how I see it.

That's why I'm caught between two ideals.

End of May Playlist

• Houdini - Foster the People
• Heavy Metal Lover - Lady Gaga
• Calgary - Bon Iver
• House - Patrick Wolf
• Bounce - Calvin Harris
• Turn Me On - The Grates
• Slow Motion - Little Red
• Time + Place - Last Dinosaurs

Perhaps

Perhaps the wide phenomenon known as the bitch face is pretty common.

I took the train with my uni mates as we finished our tute yesterday. We got onto the train and being quite tired, I didn't totally engage in much of a conversation, preferring to look at a pole and relax my facial muscles. Smiling all the time is way too tiring and from presenting a speech yesterday, I think my muscles deserved a break after all that.

Anyway, as I was gazing into the distance, perhaps being stuck in a daze or simply daydreaming, one of the girls suddenly asks me, 'is your face always like that?'

I always suspected that I probably do have the bitch face on, even when I'm not particularly annoyed or something but her question affirmed everything, I do have a bitch face. And then she proceeded to say, 'you look as if you're death staring the pole'. I wasn't. But I was tired. And I was bored so I just looked at a place where my eyes could take a rest.

So I know now...my facial muscles, when they're relaxed, cause my face to become a bitch face.

Honestly speaking though, I'd rather have a bitch face when I'm relaxed...so that people won't come to talk to me and also, I may look as if though I am busy and that I have a lot of important things to do....or what not. So yeah, having a bitch face is not a bad thing methinks. I think its funny. Now I can stare down and intimidate people. Fuck yes.

the good old days, the honest man.

a subtle kiss that noone sees
a broken wrist and a big trapeze
oh well, i don't mind if you don't mind
cause i don't shine if you don't shine
before you go, can you read my mind?

its funny how you just break down, waiting on some sign
i'll pull up to the front of your driveway, with magic soaking my spine
can you read my mind?

Someday

Someday, I reckon I will become one of those who will end up going to concerts themselves. It's rather disappointing to know that I don't have those friends who share an ultimate musical compatibility but uh wells. I kinda do feel inclined to make friends at concerts but bloody hell, how do you do that? Just walk up to them and say, 'hey let's be friends cause I want to have gig going buddies'.
I think I'm assimilating...actually not sure if that's the right word or not but music is growing on me and I am becoming a bigger fan of music everyday. All I want to is go to gigs instead of everything else like the movies or what not. And when I'm 18, I winder if gigging will be my main preoccupation rather than pubbing.
All in all, the point of this post is that I love listening to music.
Perhaps it can be regarded as one of my hobbies.
Second favourite thing is collecting music by buying cheap CDs from jb hi fi. Yeah man.
Anyhow.
I have this friend whom I am totally confused about. We've been friends since forever but our friendship fluctuates. We talk a lot for a while and then stop suddenly. It's weird like that with him. Anyhow, we've been talking again lately but he suddenly stopped responding. Not only do I feel keen but I also feel fucking dumb. I was purely being friendly cause I value him highly as my friend yet he just fluctuates all the fucking time. It's fucking annoying. Either be consistent friends win me or get the fuck out. I'm only this annoyed because I truly miss his friendship and himself...

Stalking

So...after all these weeks at uni, I had a look around my body systems practical class...and found out that there was one insanely good looking guy in my class. I've been obsessed with finding out his name ever since...far out. It is so hard to 'stalk' him because I do NOT know his name nor the names of his friends either. That makes everything so much more difficult.

All I know is that he does two of my subjects and is probably doing a Bachelor of Health Sciences ... maybe. Goodness, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? Gah...Sem is already coming to an end too. I need to find out his name desperately... I can't ask either cause that's just weird.

I will not be satisfied until I learn this hot guy's name and thereby proceed to stalk him on facebook. The thing is, I have followed on the train once already....but I got off at Redfern whilst he continued on to...well, I have no idea.

But darn it, I need to know who this guy is.

DAMMMMM. Hottest guy on campus (to me at least =\ )

Her name is Jona, Jona Vark

Gypsy and the Cat video's from their show at the Metro last night are starting to show up online. I can't help but feel quite if not incredibly jealous of those who were lucky enough to have gone. I had bought tickets intending to go despite my age however, upon reconsidering, I was nervous and scared and ultimately, had to give them up to some other lucky person. Yet funnily enough, I have instead made friends with the girl I sold the tickets to!

Ugh, I really wish I had been able to attend the concert cause it looked amazing. Though hopefully, they'll tour again very soon so that I'd be able to go to their concert...And when they do next time, I'll be way over the age limit. Goodness, sometimes I do hate my birthday. Anyway, I wonder if the friend I told to go actually did or not. I hope he did as it seemed as though it was an amazing show and him being a fan of them...well, I sure hope he didn't miss out. Perhaps he did not either. Meh, I wouldn't have any clue.

Jona Vark - Gypsy and the Cat

Running Romeo - Gypsy and the Cat

I wouldn't want to have it any other way.

Tonight I am feeling the blues. Things are playing up and I don't know what to do. Perhaps the best way to sum up what I'm feeling is - losing touch. I'm losing touch with life, with friendships, with the people I care about the most and most of all, myself. I don't know who I am or what I want. And here's a song that I love - Black Eyed Peas' Just Can't Get Enough. I suppose what made me fall head over heels for this tune is the music video. The paradox of Tokyo, chaos and utter isolation simultaneously is captured perfectly here. Sometimes life feels like that. You're looking from the outside where there is people everywhere yet really, you feel like you're the only person in the world...

Things don't make any sense do they?

Practical Class

I had an anatomy laboratory class today of the renal systems which was quite interesting. Got to take a look at cadavers again...and also, the genitalia of females and males. Yup.

Anyway, the point of this post is not about the practical class itself but what happened towards the end of the class. So we were looking at the cadavers pretty intently, my tutor explaining everything about the renal system. Suddenly, to my right, a cry is let out by a girl and she slumps to the floor - or perhaps, falls limp. My classmates and I stand away from her, trying to let her have enough space as possible. I thought she fainted but as I looked at her face, she stared at me blankly while her limbs jerked convulsively. She had a seizure. Her seizure didn't last for so long however but it was certainly quite frightening as this was the first time I had seen someone experience a seizure.

What I didn't like about my reaction was that despite my first aid training, I did not know how to act on the spot. I wish I could have helped her but conveniently, the girl slumped to the recovery position and didn't appear to be biting anything dangerous. I think I was in such a rude shock that I just stood there, clutching my anatomy notes and looked on helplessly. Time to brush up on my first aid...

Hearts on Fire

So...it's been a while since I've last blogged and yeah, I've become rather lazy. Been pretty caught up since uni started again...well, two weeks ago and the content just never stops does it? Far out.

In the meantime however, I went to Cut Copy's concert at the Enmore Theatre last Thursday. Cut Copy were great, as always and this marks the second time I've seen them live so I knew what they were like. The Enmore was not divided into two floors [which was ideal] so I was lucky enough to get close to the stage. However, my main complaint must be the incredibly DEAD mosh pit. I wasn't even far behind and NOBODY danced, NOBODY moshed, everyone was just probably a bit too stoic for my liking. Come on guys! This is Cut Copy. It's only right if you dance at Cut Copy since their music is perfect to dance to. I went all prepared as well, dressing for a sweaty moshpit on a cold night...and to my surprise, I only became remotely 'hot' towards the end of the concert when Cut Copy belted out their hits e.g. Lights + Music & Hearts on Fire. There was plenty of space around me, so many more people could have fit there. It was just so darn odd to be amongst people who were reluctant to mosh and definitely a huge difference from the crazy concerts I've attended in the past ala Muse, Phoenix and MGMT.

Nevertheless, Cut Copy had amazing lighting at their show. I took many photos using my trusty iPhone and the pictures turned out to be pretty nice. And from not bringing my camera to Cut Copy in 2008 since I just wanted to mosh, I used my iPhone to film my favourite songs from the show. Yay! But....why did they not play 'Blink and You'll Miss a Revolution'?!?! That was quite disappointing. That's what I anticipated!!

Anyway, my highlights of the night were:

• Take Me Over
• Sun God
• Hearts on Fire
• So Haunted
• Lights and Music

And the concert was pretty short: http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/cut-copy/2011/enmore-theatre-sydney-australia-73d3eae5.html :(

Only Saturdays from Bright Like Neon Love? What is this?!?! Where was Time Stands Still?!?!

Holy fuck, Melbourne got Feel the Love. I don't feel the Sydney love.

God only knows I've been here once before

Visiting school again for the very first time in 6 months to do a presentation on behalf of USYD's health sciences faculty was quite surreal. It was bittersweet to step into the grounds of St George and talk to teachers as friends now yet everything aside, I realised that it's not school I miss but the memories themselves.

After surviving university for >9 weeks now, I suppose I have grown used to that routine. Seeing the year 12s doing what I did just a year ago is a bit odd to observe and yet nothing has changed in terms of competition between students. I cannot imagine doing the school routine over again, moving from class to class in 40 minute intervals and having a teacher to guide you through everything. I'm really used to lectures now and the concept of having to concentrate intensely so that you don't miss a point. Uni does teach you one thing - independence. So that's it, I don't miss school anymore but I'm not embracing uni either. Despite that, I feel content with the new routine I'm stuck in. I also am not sure if I still want to continue with physio either but 'whatever will be, will be'. Cliche. But hey, everything is a cliche. We're only human.

Farewell to the fairground, these rides aren't working anymore

Sometimes, I know that friends are there to help you and to console you. I don't deny it but I am pretty irrational sometimes, unable to see past things and perhaps I'm quite stubborn too. I have this friend whom I know is nice to me and wants the very best for me. She cares, I know she does but sometimes, the words that come out of her either via mouth or most often by writing, they do cut. And the way that she looks at things is different to what I see and I can't help but wish she wouldn't force her thinking upon me and devalue what I value the most... It's happened quite a few times, she unknowingly does it and I try to ease my displeasure by passing off everything as a joke, laughing it off and using different words.

I'm going to a wedding tonight. I haven't been to one since May 09 and that was a nice one I spose. Actually, what was nice about it was the drive up to Terrey Hills. I downloaded Passion Pit's Manners that day, loaded it onto my iPod and listened to the album in whole as I stared out the window, watching the world past by. 'Swimming in the Flood' came on and I immediately fell in love in that song. Now I associate that time period with that song and that song does nothing but evoke glorious memories.

Commuting is lonely. I commute alone everyday...well, pretty much so. Despite that, I find most of my inspiration from these lonely commutes to the point that I based my HSC belonging narrative on a train ride in Tokyo - something I'll never forget. It's sometimes overwhelming to be there at the train station so early in the morning. Everyone in the carriage is falling asleep, not many words are spoken and the distances between strangers is so wide despite us being physically close to one another. As the train speeds through the tunnels, we move together one side or another, due to something about physics which I cannot be bothered to think of right now, we hit one another, say a soft spoken apology and keep on focusing whatever clouds our minds at the very moment. Trains are like carriages for dreams. So many different people there, so many unrealised or realised dreams, so many paths intertwining, crossing...you name it. It's a melting pot of different lives on the one train and at the end of it all, we leave to pursue our different paths. It scares me. I don't know why. Maybe its because I realise how big the world is.