Sticky Beaks

So today's post was a bit of a toughie to find a topic for. I hate to break it to you guys but finding inspiration is hard (something I have probably set several times, make that definitely). It is especially so when your life revolves around School, CFA (sometimes a source of inspiration), Piano, Jujitsu, Relaxation and Sandy. Of course my life does not completely revolve around those six things (can you believe how long it took me to count that? Well, probably not since it seems as though this sentence just goes on and on and on) but you get the idea. Sometimes I am lucky and I find some good inspiration which provides me with posts for many days ahead. So, of course, I use one and save the rest for a rainy day. Guess what guys, it is raining (well actually it is but never mind) and it is time to use up one of these posts. Granted, the inspiration was reiterated yesterday when I was walking Sandy but let's keep it going. Wow, I do mention Sandy a lot in this blog. I just went through my tags and there are twenty posts tagged with Sandy. That means that 11.9% of this blog is currently about Sandy. Anyway, moving on.

Source: http://goldsworthy.aminus3.com/image/2013-02-01.html

So I realised while walking Sandy yesterday (see there he is again) that my family are total sticky-beaks. I mean total sticky-beaks. No, I do not mean my family are birds with their beaks covered in a sticky substance. I mean that they like to know what is going on even when it does not concern them. Hey, I am little guilty of this as well. By little I mean a bit and by a bit I mean a lot. Sandy is a sticky-beak in almost everything. If ever we go to feed the chickens (whose coop is in the backyard) Sandy follows us always and if we do not give him a piece of the bread that we give the chickens then he goes into melt-down. Put simply, Sandy is very jealous of the chickens and always wants to know what they are getting. Then whenever we walk him and he comes a cross a bush he always tries to look over it to see what is on the other side (why he does not just walk around with me is something I will never quite understand). My Mum on the other hand was such a sticky-beak at one point that I made ten dollars once (I negotiated) just for walking out the front of our house to check if the neighbor's car was next door. Needless to say it was the easiest ten dollars I ever made. My brothers both like to know what is going on at any one moment and one just seems to have supersonic hearing, when it suits him of course. Then there comes to those reality television shows like Big Brother. I used to like it but have since stopped watching it as it takes up too much time. I'll watch it occasionally but sometimes this can be as little as once every two weeks if that. Mum and my brother on the other hand watch it devoutly. I swear, if that is not a sign of being a sticky-beak then I do not know what is.

Don't even get me started on my father, see you tomorrow!

Headphones

So before I begin this post I just have to warn you all about something. Despite the seemingly-innocent title this post is actually going to be a bit of a rant. Yeah, so if you do not want to read a rant about headphones then stop reading now because you are most likely not going to enjoy this. Wow, I really know how to sell a post. Anyway, moving on to the actual post. There are so many things that are annoying about headphones. Sometimes this can be painful in the figurative sense while at other times it needs to be taken more literally. I think I speak for everyone when I say that headphones can be really annoying. So yeah, the rest of this post is just going to be a bit of a rant as to why headphones are so annoying.

Source: http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2011/07/headphones-tangled-apple-has-a.html

The first thing, which you should have seen from the picture, is how tangled headphones get. I would seriously not be surprised if the manufacturer made them such that they automatically tangled. It is just really annoying when you put them down for two seconds untangled and then come back and they are a complete mess. Seriously, I put it under my pillow in a neat line and then when I go to use them they are completely mixed up. In the dark frantically trying to use them before the video stops buffering and makes a loud noise. It is like trying to tie up a lolly-snake with your tongue and your mouth closed. Have you ever actually tried that? Do you know how hard it actually is? Anyway, getting back on the subject of headphones. Headphones can also be very painful, especially when a certain someone who shall remain nameless (Dad) rips them out of your ears to tell you something. I mean, I do not have it on loud enough that I can not hear anything outside of the ear-buds. Sometimes you just need to think before you act. Then there are the times when you forget that they are plugged in to your laptop and you move away. From here either the laptop moves with you and you ending up breaking it (or nearly smashing it to pieces) or your ears just really begin to hurt. Is it just me or has this happened to any of you as well. Headphones are just very annoying at times and I really want to destroy them all and banish them from the face of the earth.

Headphones are just incredibly infuriating sometimes, see you tomorrow!

Annoying Things People do at Melbourne University Open Days

So last week you may recall I wrote a very similar post about some of the annoying things people do at University Open Days. That was all from my experiences at the RMIT University Open Days and I thought that there was no way that people could top some of the annoying things people did that day. However, today I went to the Melbourne University Open Day and my view of how annoying people can be changed. I am sad to say that I lost some of my faith in the future generations as well as their parents. For those of you who do not know, Melbourne University is the leading University in Victoria and has just being named Australia's number one University for 2013 so congratulations to them. Basically, it is like Melbourne's version of Oxford and due to its ranking and reputation it had a very busy Open Day with thousands of students (and their parents) trying to find the right course for them. This large volume of people also lead to a few annoying (and sometimes selfish) things that people did.

Source: http://www.unimelb.edu.au/

Before I go on I am just going to reiterate one of the points I made last Sunday about people stopping in the middle of busy pathways. This happened so many times today and it was even more annoying as it was a lot busier than the RMIT Open Day so it caused more blockages. Most of the time it was just teenage girls fan-girling (if you could call it that) over meeting new people. It was just so annoying. Other times it was just people arguing over where they were and where they should go next. Guys, just think about others around you when you do this. The second annoying thing I found today occurred during the Bachelor of Science information session. This session was so packed that they had to stop letting people in and the first time we tried to get in it was too full (and this was us arriving fifteen minutes before it started). So basically you either came very early (like we did the second time) or tried your luck at coming a little bit later. So imagine my annoyance when I saw people not even paying attention to what was going on and instead texting or playing on their phones. It was just so disrespectful and rude to both the lecturer and the voluminous amount of people who could not make it in. Some people would miss out while others got the opportunity but did not do anything or even pay attention. It really set me off the deep end (in my mind, I am not that kind of person [ or am I? {Seriously though, I am not}]). Then there were the parents who did not care about anyone but themselves and so when Dad and I arrived around forty minutes early for the next session (we had to otherwise we would never get in) there were already people waiting so we waited behind them in the corner so we did not block the exits for people coming out when this eventually did occur. However, around 20 minutes before it is about to start a few parents come storming down and push their way towards the front of the crowd. Then they give everyone who is shooting them daggers death stares. Seriously, if looks could kill there would have been a massacre at the Sidney Myer Asia Centre. It was just incredibly rude, selfish and disrespectful of them to expect to get ahead of people who had been waiting upwards of half-an-hour. One lady was actually told to leave because of doing this and believe me, I wish I could have cheered (but that would have woken up Dad who kept falling asleep on me [not literally on me but you get the point]). So that was my annoying University Open Day experience I had to get out of my way. Seriously though guys, the rest of the day was exceptionally wonderful (despite the bad weather) and Melbourne University is a great place to learn.

Do not let the annoying things ruin your day, see you tomorrow!

Embarrassing Parents

When we think of our parents most of what comes to our minds are the embarrassing moments. Sure, we may remember the occasional happy reunion or casual day that we experienced but we still retain those embarrassing moments with us for the rest of our lives. Sometimes the embarrassment is constantly repeating over and over again as if they do not learn. Other times it is just a one-off, although that is still one time too many. I do believe that a large part of being a Parent is embarrassing your children. For me it happens all the time and even the dog can be a source of embarrassment in this family.

Image Source: http://www.pleated-jeans.com/2012/12/24/parents-are-embarrassing-18-pics/2q3jp/

Sometimes parents can be embarrassing without even realising they are. My dad, for example, takes ages to turn his phone off when it rings and we are somewhere. The problem is he waits until he knows who is calling him before he stops it ringing. Sometimes this can take a while if Dad is not sure. All the while the phone just keeps ringing and the ringtone is a loud one too so by this point nearly everyone has heard it. It is just so embarrassing and he does not even realise the amount of embarrassment this causes me and my mother. Other parents are just overly competitive. Sometimes you would just wish they would stop talking to other parents because it is just so embarrassing. Parents just love to exaggerate and whenever something good or exciting happens everyone has to know. Luckily my parents are not that bad (they just keep it within the family) but other offspring are not so lucky. Then there is what your parents (especially fathers) think is acceptable clothing to wear out shopping. Sometimes I wish I could pretend I did not know this person due to the dirtiness of what he can wear. Sometimes parents just do not realise (or pretend not to realise) the embarrassment they can (and will) cause us on a weekly basis.

Don't let embarrassing parents keep you down, see you tomorrow!

The Way Way Back

So tonight I attended the screening of The Way Way Back (see below for trailer) which is such a good movie. Before I go on I would just like to thank Mix 101.1 for allowing me this opportunity and for selecting my entry as one of the winners of the competition. I attended the screening at Hoyts Melbourne Central which are great (large) cinemas. The Way Way Back stars Steve Carell, Toni Collette and Allison Jenney among others. It's a great story of a shy 14-year-old Duncan who goes on Summer vacation with is mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend's daughter. Duncan has a hard time fitting in but finds an unexpected friend in Owen, the manager of the local Water Park. Along the way he also meets a girl and grows in confidence. It is a touching and relatable story and is not superficial at all. I really recommend you see it and give it a 4/5 which is a very good score. Even my 17 year-old brother enjoyed it.

I believe all the actors played their role very role. If you are not thinking of going as you believe it will be an all-comedy movie with a very superficial story line I tell you to disregard your prior knowledge. It may have actors like Steve Carell but it is still a touching and relatable story that will leave you hooked until the end. Toni Collette plays the role of Duncan's mother very well and portrays the emotions the character is going through very well. It really is one of those movies you have to go see as it has both comedy and drama which complement each other. Liam James also plays the role of Duncan exceptionally well and really does remind me of someone very awkward. Duncan is still trying to find his way around the social world and does have some elements of a socially awkward teenager. However, when he gets a job at the local Water Park his confidence increases tremendously and he you see a definite change in his persona from the beginning. In short, which I am sure I have actually said a lot above, The Way Way Back is a success that I highly recommend you go and see.

Image Source: 

http://www.digitalspy.com.au/movies/news/a493373/the-way-way-back-sam-rockwell-steve-carell-in-new-poster.html

Thanks again to Mix 101.1 for the opportunity, see you tomorrow!

A Productive Day

Don't you just love it when you can say that you had a productive day? Well it is for me anyway. I may have woken up at mid-day but I still managed to get a lot done during the remainder of the day. Do not judge me for waking up so late; you would too if your brother kept you up until 3am because he left for a fire-call and left his television on. That's the beauty of a productive day, you can still have one even if you wake up late. Some people complain they never have productive days but unless you set yourself something to complete you will never have one. If you do not keep setting yourself little milestones to reach a larger one then you are not going to have a productive day as you will keep stopping and telling yourself the task is too big. Productive days really lift your spirits and even though it was a miserable and rainy day I still enjoyed myself.

Image Source: http://www.theuncommonlife.com/blog/10-ways-uncommonly-productive/

How was my day productive? Well I started it at 11:54 am (so not quite mid-day so technically it was still morning) with an Up & Go (no, they are not sponsoring me) so I had the energy to get up and go (sorry, it just fit the bill). From there I went outside to see Sandy, my brother (who had being camping the past few days) and my father in the Garage putting together some shelving because our Garage was a mess and needed to be organised. After they put one together Dad and I went to Bunnings to buy the rest and then we set that up (with my brother) and finished at around 8:30 pm. During this time I also managed to go on Facebook, help people with their Maths Assignment and also play some games. Sandy also had a very productive day such that he never actually fell asleep until we finished and so when he came inside he was so tired that he was falling asleep before we actually put him to bed. By the way, Sandy is our dog if that is not very clear at the moment. So now the Garage is looking much more organised, Sandy is snoring beside me and we are watching Lethal Weapon on television. When I say watching I just mean that the television is on and that is on except I am on my laptop, Dad is on his iPad and Mum is reading so we just look up every now and again. Productive days are great and I hope I get more of them as Term 3 begins.

A day spent well is time not wasted, see you tomorrow!

What our Parents Taught Us

We may not realise it at the time but our Parents teach us a lot. Our Parents teach us things we may not glean from School. Some of what we learn may come into use later in our lives while most will not. However, it can be better to know more than you need to in case you do need it later in life. Although, most of the stuff our Parents teach us we just really want to forget right away. Most of what our Parents teach us is inadvertent and not what they want us to know.  Now I just want to say that what I am about to talk about DOES NOT all come from my Parents. A few of them maybe but I am not writing this about my Parents but about all Parents in general. Sorry in advance if I offend anyone.

Image Source: http://paperhoon.blogspot.com.au/2010/10/embarrassing-my-kids.html

The first thing that your Parents will teach you is that their word is law. Heaven forbid you ever break their laws. They brought you into this world and sure as hell can take you out of it. Later in life you realise that your Parents were wrong about many things and that not following their orders may have been the better option in some cases. However, when you are young you do not think about these things and think that all adults are always correct. Oh, to be a child... We also learn from an early age to always strive to "do your best". For some parents this can be as simple as just trying your best but for others trying your best means having to be at the top of the class. Second-best is not good enough for some Parents and I feel sorry for their children. How must they cope sometimes? Our Parents also taught us that we can be whatever we want. Well, except for a few jobs but we will not go there. Sometimes I think our Parents are setting us up to be rich so they can retire in comfort. That is actually a pretty good plan, must remember it in the future. So the lesson we can learn here from our Parents is have kids and retire happy, among other things of course.

Image Source: http://asianetindia.com/life-lessons-kid/

Among other things our Parents also seem like very big religious advisers. Always going on about praying about one thing or another. Whether it be a stain coming out of the rug or a mark off the wall. Always we are reminded to pray or may "God help us". Religion must really be essential in raising families. Logic is also a big issue in our World and our Parents show us from an early age what logic is correct logic. We must always remember to do something because someone said so. That is all the logic we will ever need in our lives. We are also taught to empathise and be able to read someone's feelings. If we are not able to read feelings we may get on the nerves of certain people at certain times of the month. The ability to read feelings is always important when growing up as it allows us to know which rooms are safe to enter and which to avoid like the plague.

Image Source: http://www.modernmom.com/article/life-lessons-to-teach-your-kids

A major source of our Vocabulary is our Parents. Without our fathers we would not know what to say when we drop something on our toes. Where would we be if our mothers had not taught us what to say when we burn something? Then there are the words we say when we get a fright. Where would we be if our Parents had not taught us them? Persuasive Techniques are also learnt through our Parents so we already have a head start for English before we even reach High School. We learn especially about exaggeration and appeals to emotions as children as our Parents make us feel guilty about choosing something or whether they exaggerate how many times they have told us things. They are also experts at personifying and thank the heavens inanimate objects can not bite or I would be covered in marks for every time I forgot where something was. Put simply, our Parents teach us many things and for this we are eternally grateful.

May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!

Spoilt

We all know someone who is spoilt rotten. We all have that one person around us who gets what ever it is that they want. We can easily tell who the spoilt people are as they are the ones who always have to have their way. They are the ones who feel they are the only correct ones. They think they are better than everyone and do not hesitate to let you know. I am not saying that all people who are spoilt are terrible people, just most of them. Some people are very spoilt and never let you forget it.

Image Source:

http://crusader.blog.co.uk/2011/09/22/spoilt-brats-disorder-treatment-goes-on-sale-11898364/

Spoilt people can often be spoilt brats. When things do not go their way it can get nasty and tantrums can ensue. It may sound like I am talking about kids but trust me, I have witnessed tantrums from people in their forties. It is safe to say that our dog, Sandy, is a very spoilt dog. I mean very spoilt. He gets presents for his Birthday (which he shares with my brother), Easter and Christmas! Our pet before him was lucky to get a present a year. So yeah, Sandy is very spoiled. Sometimes he can also be a bit of a princess which can get really annoying. It is especially hard to say goodnight to my own mother now because whenever I get anywhere near her Sandy gets all protective in the way of jumping all over her and licking her. Seriously, he has big issues and part of that must be due to how much he is spoilt. I admit, sometimes I can get a bit jealous of him but then I move on, and become jealous again. So sometimes spoilt people can be nice but sometimes they can also be very annoying. If only we did not spoil ourselves and those around us in these days, maybe our world would be different.

Image Source: http://www.tithing.com/blog/the-church-is-a-spoiled-brat/

May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!

Horrible Drivers

Can I just say that there are some really bad drivers on the roads. I mean, bad drivers. They do the silliest of things and are all around us everyday. Just today when we were driving home from Piano lessons (a mere 15 minutes) I saw three examples of horrible driving. Sometimes I can even hear hoons around our estate really late at night and incredibly early in the morning. They really are annoying and I would hate to live near to these 'hoon' hot spots. Some times I wonder how much these people must have bribed the person who conducted their driving test.

Image Source: http://blog.cargurus.com/2008/09/29/lets-change-the-driving-age-to-18

How many drivers think that having their stereo system turned so loud that the cars around them vibrate makes them cool? There are so many of these drivers around my area these days that sometimes you can be listening to quite a few songs at the one time. Actually, come to think of it, my own brother does this in the mornings before he goes to work. It really is very hard to practice Piano in the morning when the radio is on in the kitchen and his iPod is blaring in the bathroom. It really annoys me because I can not concentrate! One of the most annoying things drivers can do on the roads is to not use their indicators when they are in a lane that goes in more than one direction. I hate when this happens because you have no idea where they are going. It really annoys me and even my Dad 'forgets' to put his blinkers on sometimes so it is like some big surprise trip whenever I go somewhere with him because I never know which direction we are going until the last minute. Really makes you enjoy being a passenger, not.

Image Source: http://m.lockerz.com/u/ulises.sotelo7550/decalz/15064562/dog_is_sick_of_all_these_horrible_driver

Also there are the drivers who just can not make up their mind as to where they are going. These are the people who cross three lanes of heavy traffic on a freeway at the last minute just so they can take the exit. These are also the people who block up the turning lane because they want to go forward. This is annoying for me because to get to my house you have to take a turning lane. Many times drivers at the front have decided to go straight forward when they are not allowed to which means we lose out on a whole cycle of lights. So annoying! Also there are some of the 'P' plated drivers on the road that think going as fast as possible is the coolest thing ever. These are the people you hear hooning around your area late at night. These are the people who make me wonder how much it takes to bribe the people who conduct the driving tests. So as you can see there are some really horrible drivers out there. Please do not become one of them!

Image Source: 

http://www.sodahead.com/living/do-you-trust-grandma-behind-the-wheel/question-1984787/?page=6

May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!

25 Random Questions Tag

So today I found these 25 random questions which is a tag or something. I found these questions here and so in today's post I am going to answer them. If you want to ask me a question then click on the link to the right that says Ask me Questions and it will link you to my Qooh.me account where you can anonymously ask me questions (you do not need an account). These questions will only show up if I reply to them and I promise to reply to all the appropriate questions. Enjoy and do not be afraid to ask!

Image Source: http://www.kingletas.com/2013/04/top-10-magento-questions-i-get.html

1) Do you have any pets?
Yes I have a dog, called Sandy, and two chickens which we keep in a chicken enclosure in the backyard. I don't actually think they have names except one which I think is called Daisy which we got off some friends of my mother.

2) Name three things that are physically close to you.
Let's have a look. There's my laptop, my Samsung Galaxy Ace Phone [just wanted to be exact] and a pillow. I am comfy so don't judge about the pillow!

3) What's the weather like right now?
Well, as it's Winter in Australia at the moment it is actually pretty cold for once. Although, knowing Melbourne's weather it will probably be something entirely different by the time I go to bed. Thank the lord we have a fire place to warm us up.

4) Do you drive? If so, have you crashed?
Well I only got my Learners Permit on May 10 (I aced the test by the way [100%]) and so have only just begun to learn how to drive. I have not had any accidents whatsoever so fingers crossed I do not have one any time soon.

5) What time did you wake up this morning?
I woke up at 7 am and practiced my Piano for thirty minutes before getting ready for school. When I say 7 am I actually mean 7:10 am by the time I actually get out of bed.

6) When was the last time you showered?
Weird question but just over an hour ago actually. Moving on...

7) What was the last movie that I saw?
Great, now I have to use my horrible memory. Let's think... the last one I can remember seeing was Iron Man 3 with my friends for my Birthday but I have probably watched a movie since then. Nope, can't think of anything. See how bad my memory is.

8) What does your last message say?
My last text message reads "I told u last night!!!!!" which was me getting angry at my Dad because he forgot what time I finished after String Ensemble tonight after school. Yeah, that really shows my social life. My last message is to my father, great.

9) What is your ringtone?
I am actually not sure, wait a second and I'll call myself. Yeah, this is going to sound bad. It is actually Lady Gaga's Edge of Glory. It is not as bad as some people. A friend in my class has My Heart Will Go On as his ring tone and someone rang him during class and it really was a funny time. Wow, we have some good times in our class.

10) Have you ever been to a different country?
I have only ever left the country once and that was to go to America at the end of 2009 and the start of 2010. It was really cool and we went to Anaheim, California and Orlando, Florida. It was a really great experience (except for the plane rides, 17 hours one way is too much [thank the lord I was not going to Europe (24 damn hours on a plane)]).

11) Do you like Sushi?
Short question calls for a short answer. No.

12) Where do you buy your groceries?
Depends on where the specials are. Sometimes we get things at Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, IGA or even NQR. It all depends on what we need and if there are any specials. These questions are starting to sound very stalker-y (yeah, I made up a word).

13) Have you ever taken medication to help you sleep faster?
Yeah, I am always popping them pills to help me sleep. No, I do not actually. Although I wish I did because then I would not have to try to fall asleep through all the noise my brothers make.

14) How many siblings do you have?
I have two older brothers, Matthew and Joshua. Matthew is 22 and Joshua is turning 18 in November.

15) Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop?
We have two desktop computers and I have a school laptop which I use. I am probably going to ask for a laptop this Christmas as I can only use the school laptop throughout the school year and have to give it back at the end of each year. This means no laptop over the Summer holidays (cue rain and On my Own music).

16) How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
Next May I will be turning 17, wow, that sounds weird.

17) Do you wear contacts or glasses?
I wear glasses because we cannot all have perfect vision. I wish I did have perfect vision though. I do not think I will ever use contacts because I just can not bear to put any fingers near my eyes. It just really freaks me out because I think I am going to poke it. Glasses for the win!

18) Do you colour your hair?
No, I do not colour my hair. That was a very interesting answer.

19) Tell me something you are planning to do today?
Okay, now this just sounds like a stalker. But I guess since it's a question. Well, it is already 7:30 pm and so there is not a lot of time left before I go to bed but my plans for the rest of the night are: finish this post, study for Maths Methods and watch tonight's episode of Revenge.

20) When was the last time you cried?
Just two seconds ago when I read some of these answers. I should re-title this post the tragic life of a Lukey. Seriously though, I do not remember the last time I cried, probably when I watched the Catching Fire teaser trailer when it came out. I mean, President Snow just wanted to be like, why can't anyone see that? Why?

21) What is your perfect pizza topping?
This is going to sound bland but I prefer just pineapple, ham and cheese on my pizza. Hawaiian all the way!

22) Which do you prefer, hamburger or cheeseburger?
I am not actually sure but I think it would probably be the cheeseburger because I like cheese. Just saying, I like cheese and would probably therefore prefer a cheeseburger over a hamburger.

23) Have you ever had an all-nighter?
I have had one all-nighter in my 16 years of life and that was when I stayed over at a friend's house when I was 12. So you see I live the life, going to bed at a reasonable hour, totally rebel.

24) What is your eye colour?
I think my eye colour is hazel, emphasis on I think.

25) Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke?
I do not actually drink any of those full-sugar soft drinks but I have heard that Pepsi is supposed to be sweeter. I do know that Pepsi Max is a whole lot stronger than Diet Coke and Coke Zero. But Pepsi Max is actually a pretty strong drink.

Image Source: https://www.fluentstream.com/5-questions-to-ask/

Well, that is all for today and if you read through all the way to here then good for you. If you want to answer some of these questions in the comments or on your own blog or Facebook or whatever then feel free to do so. Just to reiterate you can ask me anonymous questions via the link on the right that says Ask me Questions. I will read them and reply to all the appropriate ones. Do not be afraid to ask!

May the odds be ever in your favour,see you tomorrow!

Etiquette

Whatever happened to etiquette? We used to live in a world where it was absurd to even talk loudly at someone and today we have shouting matches in the middle of a street and no one bats an eyelid. Even in the past decade a lot has changed in etiquette and the way people act. Some of this is for the better (I mean, who would want to put on a suit for a quick trip to the shops?) while some of it really makes us look like horrible people. The worst part is we do not even realise what we are doing. It is as if we have evolved to a stage of humanity where we spare little thought for etiquette.

Image Source: http://studentworldedu.com/syd/worldetiquette-quiz/

I know some people are probably thinking of the 'good old days' where places like Downton Abbey and A Place to Call Home are set when I talk about etiquette. However, I am talking about the subtle points of etiquette that we have lost just over the last few decades. The most annoying of these that I want to get off my chest right away are related to Public Transport such as trains, buses and trams. First, who would not surrender their seat to an elderly person or a pregnant woman? Apparently many would not. I travel on trains maybe once a month and every time I see an elderly person being forced to stand while some teenager or young adult (in their 20s) is sitting down. The worst part is when they think that they have the right to take up one seat for themselves and another for their bag. Plus, since there are student and concession tickets they aren't even paying the full fare which means, by rights, that if a full-fare paying customer rides on the train they get priority seating to someone on a reduced fare. It is just absurd that someone would do this in today's age. A few years ago if you were to do this you would be publicly humiliated by those around you. If looks could kill you would be dead. Another problem with public transport etiquette is when people are on the platform trying to get on the train when there are people already on the train wanting to get off. I can still remember whole advertisement campaigns educating people about this. About how people getting on the train have to wait for the people to get off first before they can go on. For me it's a struggle just to get out of the train because of the amount of people pushing against you. It's most annoying when they give you the evil eye like you've done the wrong thing. It really is infuriating!

Image Source:

 http://workthatmatters.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/train-etiquette-campaign-parodies-are.html

Money really is more of an ethical dilemma now than it ever was before. It is also a point lacking in etiquette. Back in the good old times of Downton Abbey to ask a lady for some money (even your own sister) was the pinnacle of shame and it was even worse to ask a man. Such an act was a sign of weakness and yet today we have people 'borrowing' money everyday. At least the people in the Downton Abbey era had a higher chance of paying back the debt than there is now. It really does make me wonder where humanity is going. This also happens on dates where the man sometimes expects the woman to pay for what she ate or pay for the whole meal. How absurd (and incredibly selfish)! Also related to dining is the way some people eat and their mannerisms. Whatever happened to elbows off the table as a sign of respect? Although I must admit I am a major culprit of this. One thing I am glad about is that the etiquette of burping as a sign of respect has died out in Australia (would someone please tell my dad that, he must really respect me a lot). Can you imagine that? I don't think it ever really became a 'thing' in Australia but it certainly did in some cultures and even today I think it still occurs. Imagine the people in Downton Abbey burping. Although by the way some people act on that show I don't think there would be a lot of burping anyway. Etiquette really is simple stuff and yet is lost on today's society.

Image Source: http://www.justmeblog.com/2010/11/12/things-my-mother-taught-me/

May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!

Addictions

Addictions can vary from person to person. Throughout our lives we will all encounter some form of it, whether it be through ourselves or those around us. Addictions are often associated with drugs and alcohol but can also include gaming, school, work or socialising. All have their own issues which can be devastating to the person themselves and those around them. Addictions are serious and come in many shapes and forms.

The most common thing people think of when it comes to addiction is drugs and alcohol. These are the addictions that we learn about in school, they can affect our health and those around us. Some of these addictions can also get us mixed up with dangerous people and can get us into dangerous situations. Sometimes with addictions such as these it is essential that they receive help and some people actively seek this out while others don't. It is sometimes the responsibility of those around the person that should help them seek help. However, some people don't accept the help and won't even acknowledge they have a problem. People just need to be a bit more patient with these people but if they begin to affect the people who are helping then they need to get away before their lives become as much a mess as the person's who they are helping. So drugs and alcohol are commonly associated with addiction and can affect both the affected and those around them.

Addictions do not have to be related to drugs and alcohol. People can be addicted to movies (except for The Hunger Games, that's understandable. Right? Right?!), television shows (I'm looking at you Joshua [even though you don't read this and probably never will]), games (looking at you Mum) and sports (Matthew, need I say more?). These can have just as big an impact as drugs and alcohol as it can take over their lives and override their inhibitions. They may soon lose interest in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and could soon waste away. Their relationships would suffer as the addiction would come first every time and those around them would feel powerless to do something. These people need help just as much as the alcoholics and the drug addicts. They won't accept they have a problem and it is up to those around them to persuade them (or even trick them) into seeking professional help for their problems. Some addictions are not as severe as others and some won't affect a person's life. There is, however, a fine line between a healthy addiction (if there are any) and an unhealthy addiction and sometimes it is the people around us that can tell which sort of addiction it is as they sometimes feel the effects more than those who are addicted do.

Addictions come in many shapes and forms and the severity depends on the person themselves. Addictions should not be taken lightly and are very serious.

May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!

Quirks

Quirks, we all have them. They are what separates us from the billions of others in the World. It is because of these quirks that a mother can tell between her two twins, or an owner from their identical dogs. Quirks are what separates us apart from those around us and what makes us who we are.

We all have quirks, some have more pronounced quirks while others have quirks you don't actually notice until they are pointed out to you. Sometimes we have quirks that we don't actually realise we have until someone comments on it. My family has all sorts of weird quirks which, at times, can make us hate each other or love each other. Sometimes even both, somehow. My mother, for instance, has a weird (and annoying) quirk of wanting to pay in exact change so she doesn't have so many coins while my Dad, on the other end of the spectrum, has so many coins that they're everywhere he has been. It's sort of like Hansel and Gretel with my Dad except instead of breadcrumbs, there's coins. I don't mean he drops coins when he goes into shopping centers but I mean, when he's at home and he's walking around he'll leave a pile on his bedside table, at the front door (on the bench, not the floor) or in my room (I'm not complaining, it's money in my room).

My brothers also have their own quirks. My middle brother, Joshua, gets hooked on TV shows and so when he gets hooked on one he will go out to the store and buy a season on DVD and then he'll finish that and go onto the next one. Or he'll re-watch a series we have at home and just spend weeks watching it. It really annoys my Mum because he's in Year 12 and doing VCE and he watches more TV than he does studying.  I mean, I do more studying than him and I am in Year 10 and only doing one VCE Unit 1/2 subject whereas his are all Unit 3/4 subjects because he is in Year 12. My eldest brother has his own quirk where he'll watch football (AFL, not that American crap) but he won't just watch it, he'll start screaming at the TV and you can understand what's going on down the other end of the house without having to turn the TV on. It gets really annoying though when you're trying to go to sleep. He can be a pain sometimes. I also have my quirks. One of them is the way I write in my books during class. Instead of facing the book Portrait like everyone else I turn my book sideways so it is landscape but I still write in portrait so instead of writing horizontally my arm is hooked around at a 90 degree angle and I write vertically up the page. I didn't actually realise this was a quirk until I got to high school and people were amazed at how I wrote. I say amazed because I couldn't think of a better word. I guess they were more confused rather than amazed.

So you see, we all have our quirks even if we don't realise it. Our quirks are part of what make up that 0.1% of DNA that is different to everybody else. The other 99.9% of our DNA is identical to the others around us but it is that 0.1% that makes all the difference, that makes up our skin colour, our eye colour, our personality and our quirks. So, however annoying our quirks may be we just have to remember that they are a part of us and without them the world be a worse place to be.

May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!

Catching Fire and Clumsiness

So the official Teaser Trailer for Catching Fire was literally released just hours ago (well, 10 hours is still hours) and it is awesome! Click anywhere on this paragraph to watch it. It is really cool and I can't wait for more footage to come out. I love what Effie is wearing to President Snow's Banquet, it is just so Capitol Chic. I really love the trailer and cannot wait to see the movie. So go check it out!!

Also, I am sorry for not posting yesterday but those of you following me on Twitter would have seen I had technical issues and so was unable to post. You really should follow me on Twitter because I post a link to my blog post for every new one that comes out. Anyway, so because of these issues I missed out on yesterdays and I plan tomorrow to do two, one in the morning (which will show up as today) and then one at the normal time (probably a little earlier). That will make up for it I hope, feel better now Xavier?

Well, my family is very clumsy and what my dad did today epitomised this. While putting something out for my grandmother he comes back in and walks straight into the glass sliding door thinking it was open. It was like that robber who tried to escape but smashed through the window thinking it was the door. My dad does this a lot and so it was no rare occurrence but it was still hilarious, just thought you should know.

May the odds be ever in your favour, goodbye!

Daily Update

So today is just going to be a daily update. Whoa, contain your excitement please.

So today I started off with my Piano Lesson at 9:30 which would have been okay if my brother had not kept me up to past 3am the night before because he was on his phone and iPod doing what all boys do at night, watch anime. Plus he watched some House and he was just full of energy because he had had a Ribena drink he had bought from work (Woolworths). Just so you know, my brother always gets very energetic when he has one of those type of drinks, I think it is some preservative or something in it that increases his energy levels. It can be embarrassing at times.

Anyway, so back to Piano Lessons. I was a little worried at first because I hadn't practiced much over the holidays (by which I mean I practiced for 20 minutes before the lesson). So I got there and when I went in she was all like "Hey, how was your holidays?" and the rest. So then it came time to start practicing and she was like "Hey, I found a cool new song you might like to learn." I was secretly thinking "Yes, she won't know I didn't practice much!". It was even better when she started playing the song from YouTube as she was finding the music for it and it turned out to be Skyfall by Adele and I was so excited, not that I let it show. I love Adele's Skyfall and I really wanted to learn it and so I was really happy and so we practiced that the whole time and it was really a great lesson, I can't wait to learn more and to practice it.

When we got back I continued on with my homework while we waited for Dad to take Joshua (my middle brother) to work. When he got back we took Sandy for a walk into the main street which he loves because it is 45 minutes one way and he gets to see all the people around (I think he believes they are there for him) and he is a real chick magnet. Chicks of the senior ages who find him the cutest little dog around. While we were in town Mum spent some time looking for clothes for my cousins Confirmation (of which I am her sponsor, not money-wise but as a provider of Spiritual Guidance [she chose me]) and also got me a new pair of shoes because, as she put it, the soles 'were flapping about as if they were talking to you' [great metaphor Mum]. So that was fun and when we returned I spent some more time doing homework and then reading my friend Xavier's two blogs (Daily Xavier, Views on Current Affairs) and also went on Facebook to ask my friend some questions. Great resource Facebook, allowing us to communicate with each other for three over long distances via the internet. A great idea.

Then, as it is my eldest brother's birthday on the 15th April we went out with my Mum's family tonight to the Templestowe Hotel (in Templestowe) which is sort of a Buffet set up which is good and it was great fun to catch up with everyone (granted we had just seen them all on Thursday but anyway). So that was fun and Matthew (my eldest Brother) brought his Girlfriend with him and so on the way there we had a three-way (wait for the end of the sentence before making any presumptions) Mario Kart contest on our Nintendo DS consoles which passed the time. It was a close match with Matt's Girlfriend winning most of the time but towards the end I just kept beating her and eventually bet her entirely. I came first, so proud. Anyway  so now I am home writing this post before going to bed because unlike Xavier I don't stay up all night watching X-Files or Fringe. So that is all for today, probably one of the busier days these holidays. Last day of holidays tomorrow and then School on Monday which I am looking forward to (wait until the end of the sentence again) so I can catch up with friends and fix up any last-minute questions for stuff.

May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!