And The Eyes Have It

Eyes have to be one of the coolest body parts and not just because without them you'd lose one of your senses... I am not saying that isn't a really cool feature. They are some of the most detailed passive sensors on the planet - certainly camera technologies still stuggles with the elusive 3D we take for granted with our eyes.



More than all that. Eyes are simply so integral to human iterations. You can communicate so much with your eyes. Making eye contact or intentionally avoiding eye contact tells the person you are talking to... and often even the other people around you... more than you really wanted to give away.



Certainly I feel like I am giving entirely too much away when my eyes connect with a certain male friend of mine. One of my friends noted our verifiable staring contest during a game of cards not long back and I have become entirely too aware of it. I don't like not knowing how much he can discern from my eyes.



Of course sometimes you want to give all away. For instance when you are clearly frustrated with a person.What's guaranteed to make my eyes roll?

Apparently I used to be worse at the ole eye roll. But then I think the height of most people's eye roll days occur during high school. I know my younger brother is the worst for it.... I can certainly tell you what makes his eye's roll... Just about anything our mum has to say will set that off.



My own eye rolling tendencies are not as obvious. Then I have been told numerous times by my mum that I have an expressive face in general. Eye rolling just isn't one of the things I utilise I on a regular basis. But certainly stupid people saying stupid things a second or third time is liable to make me roll my eyes... though twitching my lower eye-lid is much more likely...



When I actually roll my eyes? When I am reading a book... in fact this is probably the most genuine and frequent eye-rolling. Anybody who can read a romance novel without rolling their eyes or all out burying their head in a pillow to prevent the horribly cliqued (or just plain ridiculous) words... Well to be perfectly honest I don't believe you. I am a great lover of the romance genre but it is hard not to throw away the book at times to prevent the horror of the outrageous.



Other times I roll my eyes. When somebody is rude to my face. Not necessarily the best plan because it only serves to piss them off more... So I do it less than I used to. Still when somebody has done something clearly wrong and decides to give me a chew out. I can't help myself. It is my You are clearly a bitch and I'm not listening reaction.



Nevertheless there are far more interesting things to be done with eyes. Reflect your unspoken emotions whether to show sympathy or beg for forgiveness. To show somebody you love them or let your hatred show without having to resort to actions or harsh words. Eyes can be used in so many ways... I am certainly glad I have them ;P

Not A Prophetic Dreamer

Ok Plinky... I'm a little bit disappointed in this topic. I am not saying it is not possible. But to imply that every member of the human race has had a prophetic dream is expecting a little much. Experienced de ja vu (however thats spelt) yes but recall of a specific memory or dream in which it has happened before sadly not.



Describe a dream that you have had that was prophetic in nature. Perhaps you are expecting me to have dreamed the September Eleven bombings as a 10 year old child? Or maybe have predicted winning some award at the high school assembly (I did randomly do that once but it wasn't a dream merely a bizarre thought so I don't think that counts). Apparently I got it simply so the house leader could put a face to a name.



Never the less I don't have actual dreams that are prophetic in nature. Why? Probably because if my dreams came true life would be entirely too weird. To illustrate this I will describe instead my most bizarre dream of this year.

broken mario kart

I am going to go ahead and assume anybody who has managed to stumble upon this piece of goodness in the wide wonderful web knows what Mario Kart is. Car racing computer game favoured by children and the children-at-heart around the world. With me so far?



Everybody who has ever played these games will know the hard levels. For the various Mario Kart reincarnates there are slightly different levels but the one thing the hard levels have in common is generally the much larger proportionality of meaningless points, jumps and potential free falls. High lights I would say were the Yoshi track (where there is a maze of potential roads provided you don't fall off), the donkey kong levels where it flies you to the top of the hill and you ride back down (is it my memory or has there been more than one of these tracks?) and the rainbow road - everybody has at least tried to make that darn short cut.



Anyway back to my dream. The donkey kong level is important. I didn't dream about it specifically but it was definitely a donkey kong level. I was driving up and a round a hill and there was a really big barrel on my left at one point (yes it was a remarkably vivid dream which i remembered when i woke up).



So I was driving my kart... it was one of the latest generation karts cuz i had a double partner but I can't remember who it was... I just know they were throwing bananas on the road at one point. And I was looking for my dogs... I think this was my brains way of missing my pugs who still live at home while I am not.



I was racing some undetermined enemy to get my dogs as well as needing to get them off the road before they were run over or something similar. So for a while it is simply a Mario Kart race. Then I spot them.. or at least one of them... She is easy enough to get to. The other one however is around up the corner.



I spot her. It is going to involve a rather detailed manoeuvre to get to her though. She is on another track which is running off to my left and she is heading the other direction. There is one place where I can switch tracks. A small break in the barbed wire fence (yep... the rabbit proof fence is making an appearance - perhaps not quite) coming up on my left and I have to get through it or my enemy will have killed my pet.



Wait a second where did Sady go? I have lost the first dog I picked up... Nevertheless wherever she has disappeared to she must be safe for she is no longer relevant. I go into this amazing drift manoeuvre my tire sparks are blue, then red... I am going to make it through this gap... and I wake up...



You can understand I really REALLY wanted to go back to sleep that night... I don't remember them often but the dreams I do remember are nothing if not elaborate.

Lollies and Chocolates... and Bears Oh My!

Plinky... your killing me here... What is your favourite comfort food, and why? I am making a concerted effort to eat healthy at the moment. I don't call it dieting I am not eating less or much differently. Perhaps a good term for it would be retraining. I am retraining myself to few junk food as an almost never food rather than an almost everyday food - that is all.



Still having to pick my favourite comfort food when I have been trying NOT to think about these kinds of foods for just over a week (my friend tells me it gets easier after 3 weeks and I hope she is telling the truth) its pretty hard. Already I want to eat the caramello koala I have in my cupboard. I won't though.



Not that that is my favourite comfort food. Actually I am not sure if I have a favourite comfort food. I have a lot of different ones depending on my mood, why I am needing the comfort food, what is available in the general vicinity. At this point I admit to being an emotional eater, and a pretty bad one at that.



Funnily enough I did a brief on emotional eating and lifestyle diseases only yesterday with our fitness instructors. This seems to be the week for targeting my emotional eater tendencies.

Chocolate pieces

Well I am probably going to have to say that most often my comfort food is chocolate. Everybody knows that all the fun chemicals in chocolate generally make you feel pretty good - and most people eat it enough that their body knows that too. I have a particular weakness for coconut chocolate (coconut rough or similar) but I will happily eat most - I mean who wouldn't?



Just the same I often crave for food which is not chocolate. I am not referring to a particular food that happens to not be chocolate; literally a food which is not chocolate. At those times I simply don't want the texture of chocolate rather something more crunchy and generally go for the good ole packet of salt and vinegar chips.



I am going to stop now before I break down and am forced to comfort myself with my delightful caramello koala. I just hope that reading these answers don't make you feel in need of some pick me up comfort... be strong!

Teen Me...Still Me...

Me as a teenager... well I am still a teenager - just... Just the same I am going to backtrack the the high school teenage me. After all I am three years out of home and a world away from my younger teenage self (scary how that happens almost without you noticing it). So I'll describe myself as a high school senior (once again for any americans that means year 11-12.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words (probably more when the topic is what did you look like as a teen) I guess I'll start there.



So it was ridiculously hard to find an ok picture of myself... So many are blurred or very cringe worthy (there aren't that many cringe worthy but enough). That is me on the left... NOT the red-head... If you want to hear a little more about her she is my best friend. That is actually taken in year 9 so that's me at only 13... A teen of less than a year you could say... Scare that I still haven't changed much except to age in the face... like everybody (except my sgt) does... That is our junior school uniform (years 8-10) so the clothes that I wore more than anything else for 3 years of my life I guess.

I am a rather dull person to describe in my teens. Possibly in my life. That is me and yes to look at the photo you would still be able to identify me as the same person. I haven't ever dyed my hair (I know it is boring but I love my brown hair just the way it is) and haven't but more variety into its cut than longer layers once or twice - I've lived with my hair up since I worked out you can get away from it if its long enough to put up.

To be blunt my weight has never been ideal but it certainly hasn't changed. I reached my full height of 5'10" at 13 years of age so not even that has changed. My eyes are a brown to occasionally hazel (depending on who's saying it) colour. I wish I could say my skin has fully cleared... it was never particularly bad... but it isn't much better these days - hope for the future of course.

Maybe I should talk about the things that have changed... Well I generally avoid the folded ponytail hair look (see photo) since I worked out how to do a proper bun (its either that or a normal ponytail). My clothes have improved. I used to wear t-shirts and shorts with one or two sets of nice-ish clothes - I'm talking the kind of t-shirts you get from your holiday destinations or from going to a camp. Some of them were from 2001/02 up until about 2007.

Well... that was boring... I didn't do the experimenting with fluorescent hair dyes or pierce my eye brow, my belly button and my tongue to revolt against society. I was the straight laced, well sheltered, straight A student who's idea of a party generally involved dinner at Sizzler's (the local family friendly buffet restaurant). Such is life.

Best Friends Can't Be Justified

Who is your best friend, and why? I don't quite understand this question - at least not the way that it is currently written. Why? Are you seriously asking me that? I am not sure if you are expecting me to have to make a decision between a couple of friends or if you simply expect me to justify a friendship.



Friendships, certainly between best friends, don't need justification. Hell they don't even need a reason. I can remember our first conversation - the reason we spoke that first time. I'm not sure you could say that is why we became best friends though. People say that love happens when you least expect it. They are generally talking about the romantic love but I think best friend love is much the same way.



I love my best friend in a way I don't love anybody else. We consider one another to be soul mates. It is just a connection a comfortable bear all relationship like you could (well I certainly couldn't) not have with your family members (though I am not sure about the sister-sister relationships). She puts up with all my faults and I put up with hers.

Anyway I mentioned still remembering our first meeting before so I figured I'd relent and tell all about that. I came home to Australia from the US midway through my grade 8 school year (that is the bottom year of Queensland high school). After 2ish years away including the major primary to high school shift few of my friends were left around. I ended up in the school group that I did through the girl who had been my best friend in years 1,2,3 before she switched schools.



I think it would be fair to say I am a person designed to have a best friend. I have a naturally inclination towards having that one friend who I am truly myself with all the time. I also tend to rely on my best friend to be myself (be comfortable) amongst other people. I have had, to date, 4 best friends. The one above, the one 'Hannah' in grade 4,5,6, one during my time in the US and the one this is about. The only one I no longer have any connection to is Hannah but that's alright.



So this group, we were the behind the man. arts building group and there was anything between 8 and 15 people there at different times. Looking back I love how the groups worked back in high school. If I sit here these will be my friends kind of thing - doesn't work like that anymore. I am lucky if I manage to sit down to a meal with people who would actually talk to me... yes I live a lonely life.



Anyway we were sitting down to lunch and for some reason we were discussing best friends. What a topic hey? And SHE, a red headed girl I hadn't seen in the group before now, mentioned a name. I thought I heard wrong. Did she just say 'Hannah Jones' or was I hearing things? I checked it with her and no I hadn't heard wrong. Her old best friend had the same name as my old best friend. Surely that couldn't be a coincidence.



So the first conversation I had with my best friend was comparing notes about my old best friend. She had come to my school in year 4 after being at Steph's (my best friend) school for the first three years. I suppose it isn't surprising that if we would choose to be best friends with the same person we would probably get along but it is amazing how well we get along.



Ours is one of those bonds that you just have. I haven't seen her more than three times in a year since we finished school and yet I don't have a single friend to hold a candle to her. To be perfectly honest I only hope that I get a relationship half as deep and half as understand between myself and the man I marry. We can talk by way of a single text message or a three hour phone call. We can simply hang out in a hotel room, or go for a walk or come up with the most reckless and outrageous plan ever concocted.



Most of all though we can completely be ourselves one hundred percent of the time. Even though she doesn't get my Christian faith and I can't appreciate the desire to go out drinking on a Friday night. Even when she can't handle the crowds in a shopping centre for more than half an hour. Or when I spak out completely over something that should be insignificant.



Who knows why it is the way it is. Who knows why she puts up with me (I certainly wouldn't be my friend after I've gone off my tree after losing a game of Uno or because I didn't ace a maths exam). But she does so I repay the favour and love her unconditionally right back. I just pray that I will always have her as my friend.

My Worst Teacher: The Stupidest Substitute

Harsh topic today on plinky. Describe the worst teacher you ever had. If you have read some of my earlier posts you would know I generally have an aversion to the use of -est words. I often can't think of something that would fit it. I have to say however for this one I do have one exactly.



First off I am probably going to have to explain some background knowledge for this one. Lets go back in time to me as a high-school senior shall we (and by senior I am referring in the Australian way to the last 2 years of high school years 11 & 12).



Tallish, a little overweight, about as extroverted as a brick wall. I belonged to one of the more modest of the high school social groups. Moreso even I belonged to a subset with my two best friends and we basically spent all of our lunches in the library. Yep the most outrageous things I got up to at school was breaking a library rule or two. At this point I will also mention I was daughter of a chemistry teacher (not at my school quite intentionally).



Nevertheless I was reasonable well known amongst my classmates. The top of the class generally is. I'm not blowing my horn I just happen to be alright at academics and in public schooling. I was not alone at the top there was another of the boys who was known to beat me at least as often as I beat him. So basically in classes like maths or physics my opinion had a far bit of sway because I knew what I was talking about.

The worst teacher I had was thankfully only ever my substitute. Before you go saying that can't have been so had. I had him for 6 weeks of physics due to some issues in programming a real teacher into the class (We ended up with a second year teacher who has subsequently given the teaching scene the flick to be in his band full time nevertheless he was one of my best teachers. Goes to show some people just make good teachers.) I also had him for about a week in maths. He has the dubious honour of being the only teacher I ever outright disrespected. The only teacher to threaten to kick me out of the classroom.



Why? Because I considered him to be a stupid, stupid man. I will point out my mother was thoroughly in agreement with me. I was trying to think of how to describe his appearance best. I remember him as a cross between Einstein and a clown. Though his intelligence was far from Einstein and his 'stories' which were all he did do in class were completely pointless but not funny enough for him to earn true clown status. At least not in any positive sense.



I think my primary reason for disliking him is that we didn't do any and I mean absolutely ANY work while he was in charge of the class. I have far more important things to do in senior high level maths classes than sit around twiddling my thumbs and ignoring what some sub has to say.



Worse he didn't seem to get it that what he was doing wasn't helping my education in fact it was hindering it. When he did fry to lead the class through... well anything... I found it frustrating that I knew more about the subject matter than he did. So I acted out. I blatantly disrespected his wishes and talked back to his face - standard operating procedure for a lot of high school students sure but not me. I am and have always been a 'Yes sir, no sir' kind of student.



I always remember it as being almost kicked out once but in fact it was twice. One of those times I managed to get HIM to leave the classroom. I think he was a little afraid of me for some reason. Probably unlike the scarecrow from the wizard of oz and himself I actually had a brain - who knows. The other was in physics... I had just been rather chatty I'm pretty sure.



Anyway the day I made him leave the classroom. It was during his time in maths class. By which time I had already had to put up with him for 6 weeks as a useless physics teacher (how can you not learn ANYTHING in 6 weeks of year 12 physics) and a couple of other one-off substitutions. He arrived late-ish to class so most of us were in there seated. At which time I didn't realise that it was to be the dear old clown coming to substitute.



He was telling us about the fact that our teacher had gotten an unfortunate injury and he would have to be here for the next 3-4 days blah, blah, blah. No Macca was terrible though, another great teacher I had. Then he tried to start class with us all continuing to talk. Then he said something dumb (its too long ago to remember specifics). And dared to suggest that I was being unruly, which was true but nevertheless. I suggested that he leave then. He said instead he would go out and come back in again so we could get to work.



I merely suggested once more when he came back inside that he stay outside for the duration of the lesson. You could have heard a penny drop. All eyes were on me and as happens so rarely in disrespectful situations between students and teachers ALL of the students were on my side. Hell most of them (sans perhaps my close maths buddies) were surprised I would take a stand like that one. The look in his face was worth it I have to say. He looked pathetic torn between actually giving disciplinary action to me while and knowing that he was powerless to do anything to me. Ah the sweet satisfaction of winning it over on a teacher you hate.

Truth Serum

OOooo... Truth serum time. Guaranteed an honest response what question would I ask?



First off I would want to be checkin' the label on my truth serum. I mean its one thing to get an honest response to a closed question (yes, no, five, blue). It is a hole other ball game to be getting a fully detailed response to an open question and the downside to asking an open question when they are going to give you a closed answer is that it becomes rather ambiguous and you've learnt nothing.



Put another way it is the Hitchhiker's Guide dilemma. Am I going to ask a question only to realise I don't understand how that answer relates to my question. Afterall even knowing the answer to life, the universe and everything isn't very helpful when its simply the number 42. I'm certain the programmers (the mice) were hoping for something with a little more theory (though it was a closed question I do admit).

truth serum

To get into picking my question. There are two varieties of questions where the truth serum scenario would actually be of use. Which isn't to say that any question fits exclusively into one of the other category.

• Questions where you want to know what they are saying is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help them God.
  
  
  
  
• Questions that they aren't going to answer reasonably unless encouraged by a little of the great juice of truth.
  
  

I can think of questions of both kinds which would be useful. The questions which fit the former category are perhaps a little bit more self centred. Just the same they are probably the ones I'm going to want to ask the most. The really mundane to talk about questions like 'Why do you like me?' for the more open ones through to 'Do you like me better than she-bitch-that-shall-not-be-named?' as the pointed 'Yes I will take a one word response thanks'.



Mum would blame my personality for it, I just say it goes with my terrible perfectionism streak, but I have an inability to believe most good things people say about me. It would certainly give my ego a bit of a boost I'm sure (always assuming I get positive answers).



The other category of questions I fill largely with the 'I'm asking you this but you think its a joke' questions of life. For me the ones the come most readily to mind would be asking people what the believe in. As a Christian I am not necessarily sure the question comes up more often than it would between two non-Christians but I'm fairly certain the answers I get are influenced by the knowledge that I am one.



I'm not judgemental (well I am a little on occasion but not about that sort of thing and it has nothing to do with my choice of faith - and usually only after I've been beaten at something ie cards) and I don't care if you believe in nothing at all I just wish you'd say that rather than giving me the aggressive 'Believing in God is for pussies' viewpoint. If I don't judge you for what you believe I would much prefer it if you didn't judge me on what I believe.



So It really depends on who I'm asking the question to which of the two ways I would go. Don't expect me to pick a person that is one to many decisions for me to handle =P. People I know well or would consider my friends probably the 'why do you like me?'. Except for my best friend I believe her anyway (yes clearly my trust is rather hard to earn but then whose isn't) so I'd ask her the latter question about beliefs because after all this time I haven't worked out the answer.