( I which I complain bitterly about my results from this semester. )

Also making life interesting is the fact that I have a choice to make regarding my second, non Media studies major. I was pretty firmly convinced that I would do my second major in International Relations but now the sociology department has introduced a sub-major within their department in Policy Studies that interests me greatly, at least as much and maybe even more so than International Relations, so now I'm going through the whole what should I do thing again.

My subjects in the International Relations major would roughly be:

The European Union
Introduction to American Politics
Nations and States
Ethics and International Relations
International Law and International Organisation
Theories of World Politics

My subjects in the Policy Studies major would be (also rough):

Critical Social Policy
Deviance, Criminality and Social Control
Families and Change
Sociology of Health and Medicine
Social Policy, Welfare and the State
Social Theories of Deviance

GUH! What I'm going to do (I think ETA: I just looked at my timetable an I can get away with only been at uni for two days/week in first semester, Tuesdays and Thursdays and possibly only two days second semester as well, one of my media classes is yet to be scheduled) is do my core first year sociology requirements next year, then decide.

Damnit the sun is coming up so I should probably go to bed, huh?

ETA the second: if anyone is actually interested in what the courses contain, not that I find that likely, the Policy Studies info can be found on this page and the International Relations stuff can be found here.

University continues to kick my ass but I'm finally getting the upper hand and feeling like I'm in control. I have finished my radio history essay (and feel really confident about it), am working on my essay about Pakistan (which would be going a lot better if I could find a workable definition of Islamic Republic from a non-Wikipedia source and knew how to use the Harvard referencing system, Chicago I can do in my sleep now but I'm still really weak with Harvard and suck at using MLA and APA) and will complete my other four (one of which is half-done so 3.5 and one which is actually an annotated bibliography not an essay so 2.5) essays when I'm in Sydney from the 26 October-6th November.

My mum, Julie and Gab are coming down on Tuesday and will be staying until Friday, then I'm going to Sydney because I AM GOING TO SEE CROWDED HOUSE (as much as I hate the circumstances in which Nick and Neil were brought together again and as much as it just won't be the same without Paul I still can't believe that I actually get to see Crowded House)!!! TWICE!!! AND AGAIN IN MELBOURNE!!! I can't believe it is only 14 days! It has been 11 months since I have seen a Finn perform live (That was Tim at the Forum in January) and almost 18 months since I have seen Neil in any incarnation. 11 months is the longest I have gone without seeing a Finn brother since July 2005 (which is the first time I saw either one of them live due to a variety of reasons including but not limited to student poverty, the Crowdies habit of playing in over 18's venues back in the day and my parents being total assholes and not letting me go to Farewell to the World, for which they will never be fully forgiven.)

I hope my Neil staking efforts pay off again, I have been lucky in the past:

( Adventures in stalking )

Still on a fannish note, I like the two most recent episodes of House but will need to watch them again, as I was so wiped out the first time I watched them I barely remember them and 30 Rock is my new girlfriend, until such time as I get a new one and since it has been three years I'm not exactly optimistic on that front.

On a not cool and not fannish note I fell over on Thursday night running to catch a bus and have done some semi-serious damage to my already damaged left knee. I was running, which I almost never do because I have mild foot drop (which is worse in my left foot thanks to some drunken asshole on a tram who stepped on my awkwardly positioned ankle last year tore a bunch of ligaments) and running makes it much worse, combine that with the fact that I was trying to get the bus drivers attention instead of looking where I was going (I almost always look down at my feet when I walk to make sure I'm aware of what is ahead of me so I can step higher if I need too which looks odd but is better than falling) and the next thing I know I've tripped over a speed hump/divider type thing in the road and fallen left knee first into the next one along. Thankfully the damage only soft tissue bruising but the knee couldn't really take anymore damage that it already had and has started to get all clicky and locky again from me trying to position it so it doesn't hurt, blerg.

I have more to say but I need to get back to my essay so more later.

I just praised the actions of a Liberal government. The Fraser government to be precise. In an essay.

What the fuck?

(The reason for this praise was the establishment of both Double (Triple) J and SBS. But still, FRASER ICK!)

I got a B on my Media Studies radio production assessment and lost most of the marks for things that were in my partners control, not mine.

*happy dances*

I have three essays due buy 5pm next Monday.

Politics - "What Progress has been made in the establishment of an international human rights regime since the Universal declaration of human rights in 1948?" which I am seriously considering changing to "Do ecological considerations call into question the legitimacy of the theory of stare sovereignty ?" on the basis that my tutor does not believe that the human rights question allows for enough analysis - 1,500-2,000 words - due Thursday 5pm.

Media Studies - "'Australian radio audiences have long enjoyed the most diverse array of broadcasting options in the world.' With reference to the period covered in the lectures discuss this statement's value in helping to understand the development of radio in Australia." - 1,500 words - due Friday 5pm.

Asian Studies - "Explain why Pakistan was created in 1947." - 1,500 words - due 5pm next Monday.

I am going to go and kill myself now.

ProQuest, I really do hate you and your lack of full-text articles that actually relate to my subject of "Indigenous Media and specialist/cultural audiences" maybe I'll have more luck with "Cross platform media and consumers". However I do love that 30% of my mark comes from a 2,000 word annotated bibliography. Everyone else hates this assessment but for someone who is as obsessive and meticulous when it comes to research as I am, it is heaven.

ETA: I just heard back about my iPod. It needs replacing:-( I didn't want it replaced, most of my CD's are in Sydney.

Poll #1053380 Better essay topic
Open to: All, results viewable to: All

Which makes for the better essay topic?

Also, is anyone interested in finishing my critical paper for Cinema Studies for me? I'm so over essay writing right now and can't get motivated enough to just do it.

And speaking of cinema studies, this morning's screening was the creatively titled The Beatles: The First US Visit and I overheard a young ditzy blonde thing say as we are walking into the Agora Cinema and I quote "I kind of know who The Beatles are but I've never heard a song of theirs before." WTF???? Not even on the radio?

1. My production assessment for media studies is COMPLETE!!!!!!!!!

2. My House/Stacy capping project which turned in to a cap every scene Stacy was in project is complete! (I'll upload the caps at uni on Monday.)

3. I slept 12 hours last night!

4. Tomorrow after I finish writing my cinema studies paper all my mid-semester assessment is done!

A list of things I love about today:

± I got 8 hours sleep, on a Sunday night, a feat I have not achieved since March.
± The weather is divine, it is about 24°C (75°F), sunny and slightly breezy, I ate lunch outside on the lawn for the first time since May it was so nice.
± We are finished with economics in politics! Added to that Tony Jarvis is taking our lectures this week instead of Joe Camalleri and lectures with Tony Jarvis make me a very happy politics student. Tony Jarvis is made of win! (and this is coming from pretty much the only female 1st year politics student that hasn't developed a crush on the guy although I can see why most of my friends have and I'm still a total fan!girl.) People cheered when he walked into the room and applauded at the end of the lecture, that doesn't happen all that often.
± Monday means media studies lectures, media studies always puts me in a good mood (I think I'm the only person who can be put in a good mood by attending a lecture and that actually does have something to do with the course content because I don't have Terrie Waddell (nor will I have her next semester, woe is me, I do have her 2nd semester next year and the year after though) this semester and media still makes me happy.)
± Asian studies this afternoon is about popular culture in China, that sounds like an interesting topic, also my Asian studies tutorial was made of win today, we had a debate about the One Child Policy and it got totally, hilariously chaotic, one person, playing the role of a Chinese propaganda official compared themselves to Joesph Goebbels in Nazi Germany and it just went downhill from there.
± I think I will still have enough energy when I get home to finish my critical paper on auteur theory.

So I was supposed to do my interview for my Media Studies assessment today, yes that would be the one that is due in 10 days and is worth 40% of my mark, I'm not going to say whom the interview was meant to be with but I will say that the person is a promiment member of the National Union of Students.

I had LTU open day voluenteer training from 2:00pm-4:00pm (is anyone coming to the Bundoora campus open day on Sunday, if so I'll be out on the Simpson Lawn all day, hello sunburn) and the intrerview was supposed to be at 5:15pm, no where near enough time to get from Bundoora to the Trades Hall in Carlton on public transport so I caught a cab, it cost me $36.60 (but that is a whole other rant.)

Anyway come 5:15pm there is no sign of the person I'm supposed to be interview, so Peta who is my work partner for this assessment and who was meant to be sound engineer for the interview waited around until about 5:25pm when I finally ring the person I'm interviewing to see where the hell they are only to find out that they are at a "speak out" (read drinking session, I've been to a few in my time) that they had forgotten about and can't come but we can do the interview with her at the pub where the "speak out" is taking place. This for several reasons including but not limited to the fact that interviewing someone who is half in the bag is completely unethical isn't a viable option so she rescheduled for Wednesday at 1:30pm.

Jesus Christ, I confirmed the interview on Wednesday and again on Thursday, I spent $36.60 on a cab getting to the interview location and worst of all for me I had put myself through a sleepless night and spent most of the day panicking (I mean in the my body releasing massive amonuts of adrenaline and cortisol into my system at random intervals way) for absolutly fucking nothing.

And I have to go through it all again on Wednesday (not the cab part but everything else unless my personality decides to undergo a massive change between now and then) and to add to my stress levels I will only have five damn days to edit the thing once it is done, GUH!

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On the positive side once I could eat again, after getting over most of the stress/panic and some of the anger I stopped in St. Kilda on the way home and got myself a huge-assed serving of mint-choc chip ice-cream from New Zealand Natural, YUM!