"No one is to even contemplate working or checking their emails over Easter. Don't even think about work; enjoy the break and spend time with your loved ones."

Actual words spoken by my manager at our team meeting/hot cross bun fest this morning.

LOVE. HER.

I start this, I start that, I start something else...

CAN I JUST BLOODY FINISH ONE THING?

(Frustrated and heading for bed)

Europe Aug/Sept 2015 itinerary, drafted. A 6 week mix of old favourites and new adventures. Bring. It. On!

Note to self: don't wear the chocolate-brown brogues without socks or tights.

(Have taken the skin off the top of my foot with rubbing. OUCH)

Bless the UNE online learning system for having a speed switch on their vodcasts. One of my lecturers speaks so slowly that I can play the lecture at double speed and finish it in half the time while not missing anything!

My acupuncturist showed me a nifty little acupressure tip to use when I get the 3-5pm tireds which will come in very handy since I've stopped drinking so much coffee and no longer eat sugar (the two previous pick-me-ups!).

Have essentially done bugger-all today. Think I'm getting sick. Grr. No time for this.

First assignment back. Distinction. I know I should be happy, I mean it's a decent result, but I'm kicking myself I didn't get a High Distinction.

Clearly, I need to stare at this for a bit:

First Lit essay submitted. God I hope it makes sense - I'm so out of practice at writing academic essays!

The more I try and trim my essay to fit the word count, the more new ideas I come up with, which leads to an increase in words.

UGH.

Damn you brain.

I love the annual hard rubbish collection. Gives me a chance to purge all the crap I've accumulated over the year. With the exception of my study, my house is now almost clutter-free.

Sometimes, after watching an episode of Scandal, I look like this:

And when I say 'sometimes' I mean just now.

And when I say 'I look like this', I mean without the perfectly coiffed hair. 

Obviously.

Duh.

Thank you, South Australian education system circa 1976-83, for deciding it wasn't necessary to give primary school students a grounding in anything even remotely resembling the finer points of English grammar.

No. Seriously. Thank you. I really enjoy devoting hours of my adult life to working out WHAT THE FUCKITY FUCK A RESTRICTIVE RELATIVE CLAUSE IS AND WHERE THE HELL IT'S OCCURRING IN A SENTENCE.



(This English Grammar subject is going to be the death of me.)

Two lectures on poetry in which my Lit professor referenced both these songs:

 Eminem and Tal Bachman. I LOVE THIS WOMAN.

All the LOLs.

I take a 30 min nap now (8.30pm) and I'll be able to work through until at least 1am.

Or...

I go to bed now and when I invariably wake up at the ungodly hour of 5am, I'll get cracking on the work then.



Hmmmmm.



Option B is looking like the winner.

Set a schedule.
Stick to it.
Stop dicking around.

(My current mantra)

(It's not really working)

I feel like I've been studying all day and haven't got very far... and I've an essay due next week.

Best I get my arse in gear.

This video was included in the study notes for my English Lit subject - as a newbie to the work of Sandra Cisneros, I found her views really interesting - especially about finding your own space to write and find your own voice.

Sometimes you just need a night away from the endless cycle of work and study and more work and more study... so you watch two episodes of Scandal and an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. then go to bed before midnight for a change.

Hurrah! My buddy's back at work after 3 months away. I have missed him!

If I could somehow figure out how to eliminate the need for sleep, I reckon I'd have enough hours in the day to get everything done.

As much as I love being surrounded by the students, I am looking forward to having an office not so in their line of sight. I might actually start getting everything done by 5pm...

Managed to make it home from the airport just in time for my first virtual English Lit tutorial. Phew!

ANOTHER CHECK OFF THE BUCKET LIST.

Neneh Cherry and Youssou N'Dour at Womadelaide tonight.

Totally worth the 20-odd year wait.

Nothing like attending the engagement party of the woman you've known since before she was born to make you feel elderly... ;)

Well that was more than a little bit stressful.

They walk slower in Adelaide.

(Things I forget every time I come here)

Working 9 - 7pm then arriving home to listen to two hours of lectures and then finish some freelance work is not my ideal way to spend Wednesday night... especially when there's a new Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D to be watched!

Turns out the new girl at my work went to my high school - her sister was in the year below me.

The world really is ridiculously small. Or maybe that's just Radders.

OK so that's sorted and it wasn't too painful.

Phew.

Why is it that seemingly "quick" tasks take far longer than the ones which you think will take you ages?

Soooooo frustrating.