book #5

The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton was just as amazing as the first. Honest to goodness. I love this series so much. Which is convenient because there are still so many to read.

This one had killer zombies. And voodoo. Much the coolness. Although, I'd much less like to live this world after. It was pretty gruesome and pretty descriptive. I guess I get to combine my love of gory thriller books, vampire anything and mystery. MUCH YAY.

This cover isn't the same as the one I read. Which has frustrated me intensly. But still, it's the same book so you get the idea. The cover of the book I read was yellow with her face taking up one side and a zombie hand and a ghostly figure on the other. That was probably completely unnecessary info but there you go. I'm just a sharing kind of person.

5 stars for definite. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

CAKE!

It's late in the month and somewhat boring and I practically forced myself to do it but I completed 45). for this month. We had a ridiculous amount of oranges so I turned them into cake. logically.

RECIPE: [ORANGE POPPYSEED CAKE]
ingredients:
125ml ( 1/2 cup ) milk
1/3 cup poppyseeds
180g unsalted butter
220g ( 1 cup ) caster sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
finely grated zest of 3 oranges
125ml ( 1/2 cup ) freshly squeezed orange juice
375g ( 2 1/2 cups ) plain flour
2tsp baking powder

method:
Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a 24cm cake pan with baking paper.
Place milk and poppyseeds in a bowl and stir. Let stand for 20 mins.
Beat butter, sugar and vanilla together in a large bowl with electric mixers, until light and pale. Add eggs one at a time.
Gently fold in zest, juice and poppyseed mixture. Then fold in flour and baking powder.
Spoon mixture into pan and bake for 45-50 mins.

Yummm... this is T's piece. With cream and caramel topping.

I didn't actually get to take the cake out of the oven. I got munchkin to do it for me. I had to go pick up T. I almost died in the process. Combination of too many people and a giant car and a tiny street. We all survived though. Car included. Grandparents came over and we all enjoyed cake. Parents started FebFast a weekend early so they got to have sugar for the first time in a whole month. Dad looked pretty happy. I'm guessing I'll be that way come monday when I can start drinking again.

And, side note, that box I forgot to take home from the last time I baked for 45). - is still AWOL. One day, it might make it back. Maybe.

mornings will be the death of me.

Why, blogger, do you hate me so? i press enter and you assume I'm done? no more blogging for this girl, despite the fact she only put a heading in? WHAT? you deeply confuse me sometimes website, but you let me ( most of the time ) release my thoughts into cyberspace and for this I am grateful. And my normal style of writing has, for some unknown reason, left the building.

Let's see if I can find it again, shall we?

So, I shall tell you about my list. 49). is still easy. I posted Rach's letter and I really want a reply soon. I'm thinking if I save, fly to melbourne for a long weekend ( one I make up myself, not one that's official with higher priced plane tickets ), visit Rach, hang out with my amazing family down that way, then cross off 79). because I will find somewhere in Melbourne I havn't visited before, then come home I will a) have an amazing time and b) feel accomplished for being able to cross something off my list.

53). was one of those things on the list I dreaded. I can't lose weight. It just doesn't work for me. I hate not eating just because I love food so much. I can't exercise consistantly because it's bloody painful and you tend to avoid stuff that is painful, right? So yes, I dreaded trying to lose weight because I'm one of those people that when you think about losing weight you put more on. Stupid right? But I have been blessed! I hope, nay, I pray to the universe, that this weird thing my appetite is doing sticks around. It died. Literally, my appetite got up and left. Now I have a snack and dinner and thats all I really need. I don't understand and I don't really need to. I've been putting off telling people for 3 weeks, because I didn't want to jynx it ( the universe is evil that way ).

I am planning on completing 88). soon. It won't be too much of a challenge because I'm already a pretty honest person but I will be telling people I'm doing a week of complete honesty. Which means a bunch of questions people probs don't want real answers to. Or, to make me squirm. Which, tbh, takes alot. I also think a question can often reveal more than an answer... keep that in mind folks.

Finally, 96). is bugging me. I had 12 posts last month. I figure 12 or more a month would be pretty neat, and fufill 'consistantly'. So, despite my dying internet, my early mornings of late and the fact that my computer is near-full and is choking a bit I've been trying to blog. YEAH ME. Not really, I've avoided sitting on msn and facebook ( which, btw, is all my computer knows. It leads a boring, repetitive life. Poor Harry the laptop ) and reading more. I was trying to complain less on here, but dammit, that's just me. Em Complain-Alot. or Alice Complain-Alot =] more about that later... But yes. I think this will be ten posts for february. I finished the 2nd Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter book already so thats 11. And then I can tell you all about Alice, and orientation day, and... something. How exciting.

Muchlove.

book #4

A kindly lent me Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton. First off, THANKY RACH! she recommended this book to me ( Well, A did first, but that was before I started my list and therefore wasn't compelled/forced to read all recommended to me ) and I loved it. So much. I'm already ripping into the second one. I apologise in advance because the next several book reviews will be me pretty much gushing over how fucking UHMAZING this series is.

It's quite similar to the Sookie Stackhouse series, which I also Loved. Yes it's capitalised. Love might be a strong word but it's not conveying just how mindblowingly special these books are. I'm such a vampire series junky. haha.

No but this one is different! It's got zombies too, and other un-dead and lycanthropes which is trippy speak for Were-creatures. The main character, she's so cynical and bad-ass and honest to herself. Which is going really well with my love affair with honesty I'm having atm. I'd quite like to live in her reality, which Hamilton paints so beautifully. Not many people can write like she can.

Obviously, 5 stars. I'd read this again and again and again... etc. until the pages fall out and its no longer a book but worn pages that resemble a book. I'd also recommend it to anyone and everyone. So, yeah, go read it! you most likely won't regret it ( because nothing is certain in this world; who am I to know you're not a spaz who can't/won't appreciate an excellent book? )

forget the shirt

I start uni next week!! YEAH! This time next week I'll be telling you how my first lecture and tutorial went. I know, starting four more years of education shouldn't be so exciting but GAWSH. I'm bored of home now. I do quite love my lazy days of sleeping in til the afternoon but once I start going to uni I'll appreciate and love the sleeping OH SO MUCH more :) and on wednesday I have orientation day. woo. meeting people...

I'm going to start talking about list related things instead of meeting people because we all know my opinion on people...

I was invited to a masquerade party. I know, my list says HOST a party. but I reckon going to one will def be good inspiration/idea giving material. 19). is one of those things that are going to be a stretch. I'm terrible at organising ( as my mates I went to tropfest on sunday with will testify to - group getting on at three different stations, meeting at epping to get on a train we could've been on earlier...ergh ).

T got a piano :) well, keyboard. WHATEVER. I still get to learn when we move! It's so cute with the letter stickers and different noises and naww. And it also takes up too much room in our already limited space we currently have.

I got a letter from Rach :) It's all pretty happy atm, aye? I'm writing a reply nowish. 49). IS SO MUCH FUN!! hehehe.

Ok, so it's not all a happy atm. My 6 is all a bit fucked. I don't know who is talking to who, what I'm supposed to say or not say or if I've done anything wrong. So I've secluded a bit, I'll be sitting in my corner and if they want me to listen then cool, I'm happy to listen, but otherwise I'll be avoiding it all. You know, in my corner.

I know it doesn't count for 73). but i got E to redo my blue again today :) its turquoise. but still. It's a bit bigger and more visible coz of the shortness of my hair. We had to bleach it twice to get the colour out of it proper.

I'm practicing for 84).. Well not really. I don't leave the house in heels because I just embarass myself. I can't really walk properly in them coz I'm a clutz, and I can't last long in them because my feet just hurt. So, I have my tallest heels under my desk to wear when I sit here. It's kinda the reverse of normal people :) They hurt though :( Oh well, they're pretty, and we all know that's what matters.

I bought myself a diary. Which is a kind of day planner I think. But yes, 100). totally on the way of. I put everyone's contact details in and birthdays. It's amazing and a stationary item so therefore immediatly cool because I was allowed to go stationary shopping for it :) I LOVE STATIONARY. I should get a t-shirt. Actually scrap that. I should just get more stationary and forget the shirt.

muchlove.

book #3

Fangland by John Marks is an odd book. One of those ones that when you finish you sit back and go... wtf just happened?! It was pretty cool though. I think I've mentioned before that I love the whole vamp genre for the different ideas and consequences of immortality. THIS BOOK DELIVERED. I was fascinated by how it explored death and the brutality of murder and how suffering is affected by time.

I love reading diaries. It's no secret. If there is a book that is set out like diary entries I will read it so fast you won't have time to blink. Well, no, not really, but I will read it pretty darn fast. I guess it's because of the personal nature, the honesty. This one had diary entries = ) it also had emails. and then from different people's perspectives. And then broken up into 15 'books'. It kept me hooked, even through in parts I couldn't follow.

Favourite bit was the frazzled mother-of-two accidently blowing her self up. It was just so obscure and unexpected. Probably not meant to be, but I found it hilarious in a twisted sort of ironic way. I also like how real events like 9/11 were included in it. Just made it a tad more relatable.

I'm giving it 4 stars. It got me thinking in new ways. I now just have to work out who it belongs to so I can return it...

I don't want to live in hornsby.

Today I went on an adventure out west. I explored the 'bad' suburbs. On my own, no less. I was hit on by two strange men. Almost ran over. Death stared by some punk rocker chick on the train. Got slightly lost at Epping of all places. Realised that no matter where I go, if it's dark and I'm alone, the place is a bit scary. Including my own neighbourhood which I know well. But yes. I established that Regent's Park is pretty. I like it. I didn't see much of it because it was getting dark and people and argh but yes. I like it. And it's not as far out as T thinks. YEAH.


I'm quite in the mood to do something stupid. Like, 4). , 21). or 55).. But it's currently 1.27 in the morning so I don't think T will want to drive around with me in the boot of his car. Plus, he's been driving all day. I don't have a cliff to jump off so that's out too. And I don't have the money/ know a tattoo artist so I can't do that either. grr face. L and I were discussing putting holes in my back like this chick, but then he started talking about paper bendy arms and legs. I don't think he realised I was serious. But then, no one is quite serious when you're up past midnight. Anyway, if you can't see it, it's feathers attached to needles which have been stabbed into her back. I don't think I'd ever hear the end of it if I did do it so yeah, don't panik. Most likely won't happen. Unfortunately.


On a happy note, I borrowed some of the books from A so I can start reading the ones Rach recommended. YAY. I'm reading Fangland atm. Damn vampire obsession...


MuchLove.

56). Move out

Moving out is impossibly difficult. I knew it wouldn't be easy. I don't have much money, I've never done anything like it before and there's so many things to consider. T and I have had some lucky breaks. My aunt and uncle and cousin are moving overseas for my uncle's work so we've been able to have alot of their furniture and bits and pieces which make it alot easier. And I just found out my great great aunt wants to give us cutlery and other bits and pieces.

This is all well and good. I'm EXTREMELY happy that we will be able to fill our apartment with things and not have to live without necessities. Having a place is a different story. As much as I love that I have T to move out with and feel so much better about the whole idea knowing he's in it with me, it's getting frustrating. He's putting too many restrictions and conditions.

I still don't understand why we can't live in a 'bad' neighbourhood. It's not like we can afford to be picky. And we havn't even been to these ( ridiculously cheaper ) places before he judges the whole area and calls it off limits. And excuse me for not trusting a 'wise' aunt. Just take me there and prove me wrong, rather than look at me like I'm a complete idiot.

And now it's no, we can't live too far away from here because of people. Excluding the <10 people I truly care about I really rather hate people. I'm not good at small talk, I'm not very trusting and I don't really see the point in knowing loads of people. I also am a firm believer in the notion of 'absense makes the heart grow fonder'. So my point being, even if we live that much further away it just makes the times we spend with people of a higher quality. Plus, there are people everywhere. No joke. YOU WILL FIND SOMEONE TO BE FRIENDS WITH.

I sound prudish. Let's look at it from another angle then. I have comprimised. I wanted to live near the train station because I do not have a car, I dislike nature and exercise and I think it will encourage me to be slightly more social. Plus I will need to be on the train at least three days a week. I comprimised and said sure, ok, let's live further away, I'll find a bus or use your car. But let's not forget we'll have to pay higher rent because you need a place for your car, and the fact that that was my ONLY condition.

So yeah, I snapped, T. I know you told me not to. Let's just be greatful I didn't use my feet this time.

movie #4

In celebration of D's birthday a group of us took off to hornsby to watch Daybreakers. I found it quite hilarious that most of the group had no idea what movie we were seeing until we were all there. I guess it just shows how much they love D.

I found the movie terrible but hilarious. The amount of blood and gore just got hysterical. When the bad guy's head got ripped off I honestly couldn't breathe from laughter. Of course, I was told to shut up. Again. I didn't take him seriously though. The day I watch a movie at the cinema and not be told off from either a friend or stranger will be a very special day.

I was so angry they named the main character Edward. The most over used name in vampire fiction plus, everyone immediatly links it to Edward Cullen from Twilight. Twilight really messed with the traditional vampire. Naming the main charater Edward and therefore linking with the messed up traditional vampire got confusing. WAY TO CONFUSE ME.

They exploded when they got stabbed. Not just a 'oh no, look at me turn to dust and get in your eyes' way, A 'step back because there's fire and force while I die' way. I found it amusing. Also the burst into flames when you get hit by sunlight. None of this pansy glittering. OH! inconsistancies annoy me so much. First 'healed' vampire had burn scars and what not. SECOND GUY DIDNT. just because you're the main character doesn't mean you should get off easy. rubbish I say.

I am a fan of vampire stories because I have this hope that they'll deal with the whole immortality issue and how that would affect one's conscience. The beginning of this movie was really promising. A young girl vampire, her suicide note and the sun rising. And then we never see her again! ARGH. sure she's dead but WHAT? she was cool! I want to know her story! That story was crap! Go back to the dead girl!

ok im done with the rant. 2 stars; all for the gore and lolz.

sweet dreams are made of these...

DREAMS FOR JANUARY FOR 92). :

1). This dream was like a tv show in that it kept changing scenes and characters. First scene I was a woman of science, trapped in a camp and I knew there was a secret. I had an icecube and rubbed it on my hand. Numbers showed up. I went looking for paper, but paper was a limited resource in this camp. I found a notepad that already had a lot in it. There are similar numbers in my handwriting that I don't remember writing. I realised they wern't phone numbers because they were too long for that. Then scene change and I'm a different person, younger, and in a pool with no water in it with two friends and a whole bunch of familiar people. We are being forced to exercise because we don't know how long we will be stuck in the camp. Then scene change again, I'm the same age as pool chick but more mature and I think in the army, and I'm standing in a hallway peering into a kitchen turned storage space. The guy I'm staring at is pulling skewers of glowing green rocks out of a crate to check them. He then comes out and carries me because there is something wrong with my legs. Then change again, and I'm a guy in a caravan park who was feeling really anxious about something. He was sneaking around. He finds the right caravan, breaks in, finds the cds and then got really cranky becuase the cds were black and burnt. He got out of the caravan and starts running as if his life depended on it. When I got to the main entrance I fell on the carpet, because it was slippery.

>> First off, I realised after I woke up that the numbers were the crack codes for the cds. I think the camp symbolised how I'm trapped in this weird in-between lifestyle at the moment. The rest of it I have no idea. I really want to know why I dreamt I was a guy. It's not the first time. It's a weird feeling. Also, none of the people in this dream were familiar. Usually it's friends, people I know, family, tv stars, something familiar. This one was complete strangers but in the dream I knew them all.

2). I was in a hotel and it was very english but we were in Sydney. The whole group was there and everyone was getting ready for a big night out except for me. Everyone else had brought heels, makeup and dresses and I'd brought my tiny handbag. I was sitting with K as she put mascara on and explained it to the guy. Except, she was pulling straight strands of hair and applying mascara from root to tip. I didn't find it remotely odd. E wanted to go to a pub. We started walking, get to the corner where the pub is and look in the window. E mutters something like 'don't look now' but I didn't comprehend and watched three guys in the window get shot. We decide that we don't want to go to that pub and start walking in the opposite direction. Everyone else is all psyched up but all I want to do is go back to the hotel and sleep.

>>I have a constant insecurity of not bringing everything I need to. That explains part of it. The rest of it is pure unconcious babble. That's all I can put it down to.

3). I was back at school but I was dressed all goth like and all the people around me were dressed really well and guys. Over the loud speaker Teenage Dirtbag started playing and we start singing along. A group of bimbos start trying to sing with us and we give them dirtys until they go away. The song ends, we all clap, and then munchkin's old friend shows up with tickets and gives us each one. We walk to the station all excited about the concert. We then realise it's a ticket to Iron Maiden and not Wheatus or Weezer. We realise that we don't know any of the Iron Maiden songs and should go home and learn them so we can sing along at the concert.

>> It's an amazing song. Definitely dream worthy. And I hate girls except a select few. There you go. And my subconcious wants to listen to Iron Maiden.

If you have better insight or just interpret it differently please leave a comment. I'd love to know what they mean.

And bugger, its tomorrow. After my rant I couldn't face another typing of the same thing so I left it to today but now it's past midnight and grr at past me. Humble apologies. Speaking of apologies, I must apologise for the fact that there are only 3. I was lazy and didn't write them down right away so I forgot some of the cool little dreams. But all ok. I've already got two for this month so yay :)

MuchLove.

book #2

Mac Slater, Cool Hunter 2 by Tristan Bancks was pretty cool for your basic young adult 'and-the-moral-of-the-story-is' novel. It was most likely aimed at much younger audiences but the cover was pretty and I found it at a charity book sale so yes. I bought it, I read it, I regret nothing. Except maybe carrying it around hornsby with me and then losing my place.

I loved the inclusion of all the inventions and ( another ) secret society. I found it slightly unrealistic that these teens could afford said inventions, or actually have the ideas and innitiative to create them in the first place.

I really need to go to New York. It's not a want anymore, it's now a need. I can't even properly describe it.

I realised half way through that this is number 2. If I happen across the others in this series I shall read them but I'm not going to go out of my way.

3 out of 5 stars. I wanted more from it. Plus the whole moral what's right what's wrong dilemma was annoying. Make a decsion, then stick to it people!

FAIL

ARGH. I wrote an amazing blog about my dreams from last month. EPIC, I TELL YOU. And then, the darn thing asked for my password and got rid of it :( ALL OF IT. no more blog. What you have been staying up for all this time? yeah that. no. sorry. that NO LONGER EXISTS. oh the drafts it says it saves? LIES. all lies and corruption to lure you into a false sense of security. And as much as I enjoy a good rant, I'm pretty sure this one doesn't make sense. So I'm going to stop now. If this post doesn't work either I may very well strangle something. hmph.