res school

If you study by distance and find you have optional residential schools - attend them. Concepts that I was struggling with in my business statistics subject now make perfect sense, the interaction with the lecturer was invaluable. With her guidance, we attacked various problems from numerous angles and it really did help.

I can calculate probabilities like a pro using binomial, Poisson and normal distributions now.

The drive to Wagga and back, the long days sitting in those awfully uncomfortable lecture chairs, the cheapo accomodation... all worth it in the end seeing as I know I can improve my GPA using this subject which now makes perfect sense to me.

Res school is love.

busy bee

I'm off for about five days starting tomorrow, so much to do! I'm heading down to Wagga Wagga for residential school for my business stats subject with my grandparents till Wednesday, and we'll be staying in an apartment at a caravan park near the uni. I know it's wishful thinking, but I do hope they have WiFi so I'm not completely cut off while I'm there.

Then I'm off to Forbes on Thursday, and hopefully I get to see my aunt at her work to talk about the possibility of me staying with her for a few weeks if things pan out the way I hope. Geebus I'm nervous! As Cozza said though, the fact I'm nervous shows I'm not cocky. I think I get so nervous because I really care about how I do, and the outcome. Well, that and I'm not cocky, hehehe.

When I get home Thursday night I need to get stuck into a stats assignment, even though it's uni holidays. My stats lecturer doesn't believe in holidays apparently. At least, not for us students. There are so many better things I could be doing with my time, like learning basic Japanese and Irish, or photomanipulations, or have Cozza and co. visit for laser skirmish, or writing. Oh my, I just realised how behind I am with my book! Anyway, I guess I'll have to make time to do the things I want to do in between the things I need to do.

By the by, voting sucks. I'm sitting here watching the results knowing either way it goes this country is in a bit of a pickle. I want the national broadband network to get up and running... but I don't want this internet filter. One party promises good internet (with the filter), the other party promises no filter (without the good internet). Gah!

Kanon Wakeshima

Those who know me know that I have a fondness for classical styles of music, especially stringed instruments (and yes, I do include piano, it has strings). I decided to look up the artist for the two ending themes to Vampire Knight, seeing as the cello is featured heavily in both songs.

I was very pleasantly surprised.

I'm in love with this jpop artist now. Her voice is what I imagine a little doll would sound like, and her skills with the cello are breathtaking. Plus there's a hint of darkness to most of her music that gives it an edge which I find quite romantic. So I decided to share, enjoy!

therapy

I've been crying for about an hour straight now. Strangely it makes me feel a little bit better.

EDIT: Ok I lied. I've given myself a headache.

taking it too far?

Related to the theme of vampires from my last post, this little tidbit of "news" caught my attention:

Vampire fever takes bite at traditional religions.

I didn't realise it had already gone so far as Jediism, with people embracing vampirism as a belief system and lifestyle choice. Not to mention that generation Y seems so have become desensitised to the things that should be scary, and romanticise them instead. Seriously, if there are bloodsucking vampires out there, I doubt they'll act like Edward Cullen.

How would one incorporate vampirism into everyday life? I can't help but think of the South Park episode where the kids who like vampires drank tomato juice (pretending it was blood) and poor Butters thought he really had become a vampire. It seems ridiculous.

I have read about psychic vampirism before, and it doesn't seem as far fetched to me... and it isn't any less scary. So why the glorification of supernatural monsters to the point of being a religion? I really don't get it.

Vampire Knight

... is NOT anything like Twilight.

I just needed to get that out of the way before I even begin.

Vampire Knight is a vampire shōjo manga by Matsuri Hino and has become hugely popular, so much so that there are two 13 episode anime series already, Vampire Knight and Vampire Knight Guilty. Since the manga is ongoing I am hoping for more anime realeases. Don't read on if you hate spoilers.

It follows Yuuki, a girl who has no memories prior to being attacked by a bad vampire and saved by another 10 years ago. The one who saved her is Kaname, who is Yuuki's love interest as well as a pureblood vampire. Yuuki lives with her adoptive father who is the chairman of Cross Academy, a boarding school for humans (day class) and vampires (night class) alike. The chairman is an ex-vampire hunter who longs for peace between the two species, hence the school's existance.

Yuuki is a "guardian", meaning she must help protect the vampires' secret and keep the human students safe. She is aided by Zero, a moody guy who's family was also ravaged by a vampire. He hates the vampires fervently... which sucks cos it turns out he has been turned into one early on in the series. He ends up swearing that Yuuki will never become one either... except she was always one, a pureblood in fact. She's just had her memories erased and been able to live as a human for ten years to hide her away from the bad vampire. She winds up being Kaname's love interest as well, and they live happily ever after (according to the anime). Well, Zero doesn't.

It's nothing like Twilight, thank god.

Twilight has a pitiful teenage girl who decides that she can't leave well enough alone and fall for a gorgeous guy without knowing anything about him, then still loves him even when she finds out he could eat her. She needs protecting at every turn in the story.

The guy is just as pitiful. He's a freaking stalker! He also knows better than to get involved with a teenage human, but does it anyway. He doesn't drink blood, he wears body glitter and he whines. A lot.

And what about the third wheel werewolf who loves the human chick? He follows her around like a lost puppy (pun most definately intended), only to fall in love with her half vampire baby. Happy endings all round.

So how is Vampire Knight any different? For starters, Yuuki is a proactive character capable of fending off everyday problems for herself. Secondly, she's fully aware of the vampire world. Thirdly, she's had over 10 years to fall in love with the vampire guy, and lastly... she is in fact a vampire. Not to mention Zero, who loves Yuuki, doesn't get such a conveniently happy ending. We don't even know if Kaname is a good vampire or not, we have no idea about his intentions.

Vampires in the manga/anime drink blood.

They don't sparkle.

They actually have fangs.

It's awesome, the series doesn't try to suppress what a vampire's true nature is, there are bloody battles, vampire hunters are also badass, there is an actual heirarchy within vampire society, and humans are most definately in danger. You know, it follows the standard vampire mythos while still being original and entertaining.

Twilight is a romance story, which happens to have supernatural beings in it. Vampire Knight is a vampire story, which happens to have romantic elements in it. I've read both and I know which one I prefer.

So screw you Meyer for the worst written vampire fiction in history, because of you everytime I mention Vampire Knight I get "ew, Twilight" as a reaction. It deserves so much better than that comparison.

new stuff

I'm so excited this morning, the stuff I ordered from thinkgeek arrived! I've come to realise that I have a rather dominant geek and nerd side and I have made the decision to embrace it for better or worse, hehe. I haven't had a clock in my place since I moved in nearly a year ago, so I figured it was about time and have been on the lookout for one. While I was browsing for some new t-shirts, I came across the Pop Quiz clock, and instantly fell in love with it. Cos you know, I'm like that.

I also managed to get myself a couple of shirts that I think are hilarious. Others might not think so though. There's now a Hello Schroddy and a Electromagnetic Radiation Connection t-shirt in my meager wardrobe. I can't wait till my sister sees them, her head will go "bang" trying to figure it out! I'm awful, I know.

I'll have to get pics of them later on... for now though, I'm just sitting back, admiring my cool new clock.

roses are red

"For three beautiful months, three beautiful roses. They may not last till I return, but my love for you most definately will."