An online journal since 1998
This is a picture of me that Penny drew on New Year’s Day in 1996:
She drew a similar one on April 24th 1999. Tomorrow when I stand on a beach in Rarotonga and watch her get married, I hope I will see an even bigger smile on her face, because she is a wonderful beautiful person and deserves all the happiness in the world.
If you’re still keeping score, it’s three down, one to go,and I’m feeling rather chirpy about all this.
Two hours late for work because I slept and slept and slept in, and still had a headache when I woke up. Little bitter pills made me feel much better though, until I had about an hour left to go at work, when I started buzzing out and getting dizzy and headachey again. Bridget freaked me out when she said I had to do an incident report cos I got nasty papercuts between my fingers doing photocopying and bled. Of course she was kidding but I was too dazzed to realise at first. In the evening KateM came around and we went to my room for secret girls’ business and then went and had Korean food for dinner. She freaked out at me and got all mad when I told her that I walked home from the hospital the other night – apparently I am NOT indestructable. I understand where she’s coming from – if anyone else that I knew told me that they did that, I’d get mad at them too, but the rules are different for me, dammit! . Later I watched Buffy and after that, Bops and I played Lego. Yay Lego! We started making crazy things, and then giving them artistic descriptions, so I challenged her to actually make a meaningful sculpture, and I did the same. This is what mine looks like:
You figure it out. Daniel got it immediately. Bops and I were watching the soccer tonight (I’m backing Brazil but still find Hassan Asas (is that his name? I forget) strangely attractive) but I’m just so fucking sleepy that I can’t. Going to see Doctor White in the morning to get to the bottom of this headache madness thing. Then work. Work on Friday as well, and Monday and Tuesday, mare. Still, at least there’s Saturday night to look forward to. You are coming to my party aren’t you? If you know where I live, then consider yourself invited.
Wednesday August 9th, 2000
Sure, rum relaxes the body, but damn, it leaves my mouth all dry! I’ve had a shit day today. I guess I woke up on the wrong side of the bed or something – I couldn’t have gotten out on the wrong side, unless I vaulted over the footboard, which I didn’t. But I do remember waking up in the middle of the night, and thinking I had no idea where the fuck I was – which was crazy, because I was in my own bed and everything. It’s like I lost my mind for a half a minute. And then today when I was driving, I had flashbacks and got confused as to what was going on. Scary.
But yeah, anyways, I was running late and it looked like rain, so I had to take my car into tech today. But of course, there’s no glass in the side window at the back. I went to tape something over it, but we had no tape, and no something, so I had to flag that idea. Then the parking building was really really full of people going to the ballet, and I wanted to go to the ballet instead of to a boring class, and there were lots of little kids, and that annoyed me too. So I went up to the journo room, and saw Shirley really briefly, which annoyed me even more, because I hardly ever get to see her anymore. And then I went into the radio studio and griped for a bit, ditto, because I don’t see those people much either. Then I went to Multimedia Project and wrote indignant emails as we diagramed the process of making a pavlova. Mmm. Peter Mansfield had us start to use Multimedia Project, and I managed to pick up on the basics of it okay, so I filled out ours for the group. Me and my group members all compared layouts we’d done for our client. Mine was very very very lowfie, and it was the only bloody one done in HTML. Grrr. Peter in our group doesn’t speak the best English, and doesn’t seem to completely comprehend that we need more than just a nice picture. We’re mostly going with Trevor’s idea, but simplifying it down. I got lots of props for my version though – which wasn’t just super simple cos I was lazy. Oh no, really it wasn’t. Anyways, after class, I was walking out of the State, and I saw Jody and Fleur, and once again felt pangs cos I NEVER see Jody anymore, just after we got close last semester. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Me and Morrison (Kate) and Shirley are planning a retro night for next thursday – Pizza Pizza for first year, Ladies Night at Planet Hollywood just because, and karaoke at the Hub for second year. But still, it’s just not the same.
Then I got a sandwich takeout, and was just about to go down to my car when it occured to me to look for my keys in my bag. And I couldn’t find them. I took all the stuff out of my bag. I couldn’t find them. I debated whether it’d be better to go and look for them on the ground by my car (if it was still there) or retrace my steps back to the State. So grrring a lot, I went back to the 14th floor. No keys. Journo room – no keys. Radio room was locked, so no sign of Brad. 13th floor – no keys. I tried to suss out the phone in the lab to call Kate and ask her to drive in the spare key for me, but there was no answer. Just then, I spotted my keys, wedged inside my book. Well, at least I found them, I guess, but I was still very very annoyed.
Then driving home annoyed me as well, and for some reason I was really pissed off to come home and find Kate sprawled out in front of the heater. But she was lovely, and gave me hugs and affection and forced an issue, which was good. It’s amazing what things female flatmates keep stored in their rooms But then she and Brad both went out to their seperate works, and left me. I veged out in front of the TV, drinking celebratory kahlula and milks in an attempt to spare the boys the pain of having to drink Balance Milk. I’m such an altruist, really. They also settled my stomach which had unsettled itself straight after dinner. I think maybe I was going into caffiene withdrawl – I feel SO much better now that I’ve had some coke.
Brad came home while I was watching some Inside NZ documentary on the Wellsford School Ball, which was far more interesting than it should have been. The new series of 90210 has started tonight. They’re all so old! I think I like the repeats better. Not just cos of Brenda though, really. Although she is my fav character. Then Clay came home, and made me change things on his invitations. I got quite quite shitty – not really with him, but I was still very grumpy and stuff, and I HATE having to do things for print – it’s much much easier to work in terms of pixels. And personally, I think the changes he made me do are pretty dumb and the original looks much better. Of course, taht’s my own completely unbiased opinion, naturally. Shall I show you? Okay. Mine makes allusions to Gargamel and the smurfs, of course.
The first is obviously the poster he wanted me to makeover, the second is what I did, and the third is what he made me do. Sheesh, the nerve of some people, wanting to design their own party invites! He’s renting out a small theatre and screening Human Traffic, you see. Film buff boy.
But that’s okay, cos while we were fucking around with that, Brad went to the supermarket for mixers, and when he came back, he made me a nice strong drink, which was goooooood. And so we watched Buffy, which was very amusing too. Beer good! You stupid! No, YOU stupid. Ahh, cavemen eh?
I still feel weird. Ahh well, maybe it’s ummmm something. I’m still not convinced that I’ve hung my dali pictures right, but that’s okay. Oooh, I have a book to read, so maybe I should do that instead of doing this. Did I mention that Shirley came around tonight, but only briefly? Well, she did, but she seemed far more taken with Selector Magazine’s interview with Robbie. I don’t blame her though. Ayyyee Robbie! I can’t believe he didn’t show up at our party. What a cunt. But I guess I can forgive him. Especially now that news is he’s taking holidays with Geri Halliwell. Oh Pop Music, how could I have shunned you for so long?
I am more than a little bored today. Well, this evening anyways. I did stuff today – like pay phone bills, and domainz bills, and umm there was something else too. Oh yeah, I finished the invites for Clay. At least I think I have. He’ll probably want stuff changed on them. Would it be mean of me to put up photos of him in his boxer shorts? I guess so. Damn. Ahh well.
What are these pictures in aid of, you ask?
Well, it occured to me the other day when Kini and I were in a threesome (chat) that although we’ve made many references to it, I never did write up the story of The Grace. So I intended to that this evening, but only got as far as scanning in the products I stole from it. Stories of sordidness will have to wait.
Besides, K doesn’t want me to embarrass her too much so I ill need to figure out a way to skirt around the whole bathtub thing.
Kate brought light blue milk today, as I suspected she would, even after I asked her for dark blue. I wanted Brad to ask her, so she’d take it less personally. Oh the drama. I love my flat!
If you do a search for “Joanna” on altavista, my site is the fourth one that comes up. That impresses me much, even if I am not Joanna Dark as many people would have me be.
I deleted 300 pieces of email today from my email account box. This made me proud. There was stuff from it I was gonna mention, but I forget now.
August 27th, 1999:
“Man, I’ve already snogged two people I met on the Internet, moved in with another one, and gone out with yet another person from it – enough’s enough.”
Well, yes.
I want someone to drink with right now, and also someone to tell me how to hang my pictures straight, cos I can’t look and do at the same time, if you know what I mean. Brad broke the rest of the glass out of my car for me today. He’s a sweetie. Clayton’s sick, poor baby. I’m fine, I’m well, except I would kill for a massage.
Wednesday August 2nd, 2000
When I turned on my computer before, it was so cold that my mouse was strobing because of my shaking hand. I’m a tad warmer now, but my ass is still cold. But anyways. Did you see my party photos? People on my mailing list probably did already. Plug plug plug.
I had someone else sleeping in my bed last night, except this time it was a cat. Tahallulah purrs and purrs and purrs, which is very sweet, but a little like sleeping with a lawn mower. In the morning, she kept putting her paw down my t-shirt like she was after something but trying to be subtle. Kate had warned me about that phememoenoemeon actually. Kate and I are both enjoying living with another girl. It’s like the gossip never ends! Which is very very cool.
I went into Static 100.4 today to be Brad’s Sticky Beak (complete James Coleman & Phoebe rip-off). So I read some made-up gossip, had witty reparte, and did Creedwatch. What’s Creedwatch, you ask? Let me paste in my script, and then you will see!
CreedWatch – We’ll take you higher
And now for the latest news on the band carving a new niche in the saturated grunge market…..
Creed’s video “Higher” where the concept appears to be The Matrix meets the Cruxifiction is up for “best rock video” at the MTV video awards. The video has also been included in the new series of Pop Up Video, which is due to screen in on August 8th in the US. Hopefully it will reach our shores soon, so that the Creedstance (leg raised, clenched fist and constipated look) can become as treasured a national stance as the haka.
For more information, don’t forget to consult Creed’s website – creednet.com. Check out the band’s bio to read such lavish descriptions of their music as:
The intensity comes through in more subtle ways as well, as in the plaintive tone of the album’s first single, “Higher,” which finds Stapp seeking refuge from the rigors of the outside world, as his bandmates erect a majestic wall of riffs to ring his discourse.
I’m Joanna with Creedwatch. Thanks Brad.
Of course, the fact that I’m wearing a Lion Red Tshirt today:
I won it at the Cock & Bull last night. The Garland Gang, minus Clay but plus Kate M (and natch including Maree) did Quiz Night. We did okay. We had fun. We drank pints. I won a spot prize and we cheered for that. It dragged on a little long though. Next time we plan on being drunker.
What else today? Home cooked meal, for the first time in ages. Supermarket shopping with Clayton. Montieths. Sitting around the dining room table gossiping about Kate because she was at work, so we could. (Don’t get paranoid Katie, I’m just hassling you). Nipple discussions. Buffy. Kate and I had slipped the lewd photographs taken in Clay’s bedroom into his photo frames whilst he wasn’t looking. He was very impressed. My hands are cold. Kini and I don’t want no chips. She’s gonna come to Justin’s 25th birthday party, which he’s having @Garland (we’re like an official venue now). He’s inviting Brendan Lovegrove as payment. Heh.
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Monday, July 17, 2000
:b :q :b :q 
:b :b 
:b :b :b
I got cyberhead tonight, apparently. I laughed a lot. I heard Kate in the kitchen laughing at me laughing. She made me hot chocolate. What a good bitch! It’s nifty having her here. We cleaned the kitchen together, which later inspired the boys to start hanging our curtains. She made dinner, I made dessert. Fucking happy families, man.
I was just in the lounge, and I tried to provoke Clayton into a fight, because he was saying how all us are communication students now. One day, I would love to have an arguement with another com student, you see, to find out if they too go “I understand your viewpoint, but when you blah blah blah it makes me feel blah blah blah” and if they take both sides into account. Brad was like “alright, bring it on!”. He’s had a very exciting day today. When we were watching ‘Saved By the Bell’ today, Kate slung her legs onto my lap, and demanded a foot massage. So I found some foot balm and delivered, until she claimed I was tickling her too much. In exchange, I got a shoulder and neck rub that made me purr. Brad was sitting on the other sofa going “alrighhhhhht!’. He told Clayton about it later, and Clay asked if we’d taped it for him. Heh.
Also today i went to the bank and paid our rent. I’ve been listening to the deftones cd a lot, and Leigh’s been drip feeding me the new album. It’s great, listening to Angry Boy music, as opposed to Angry Girl music. I also made myself some new wallpaper. I discussed with umm Tom I think it was whether or not I could just hunt down my friends, cut off their heads and mount them on my wall, but I settled for just having their photos near to me.
Oh my god, Brad and I were looking for pictures of grizzly bears tonight, so he could put it on a tshirt, and I ended up telling someone on ICQ about our animal costume fetish. He sent us here. We just about died. Ooh ram me, big boy!
Monday the 10th of July, 2000
I’m online like before 9pm for once, in the hopes that I’ll actually get an early night tonight. I went to bed at 2 this morning, because I was dumb and stayed up late talking to Kini and sundry boys (or is that sun dried?). Not that there’s anyhting wrong with talking to Kini, only I had to get up at 7am, which is very icky.
I was SO excited at work today, because there was a new temp in, and he was young and male, and not half spunky, although I guess fresh meat’s always appealing no matter how it’s packaged. You have to excuse me, because my hormones are really springing to action this week screaming “hey! you’re at your most fertile right now! make babies!”, but I’m trying not to pay them any attention. Anyways, yes, back to the temp. I was stoked when he got seated at one of my two tables (one for opening and stacking mail, one for sorting mail) and we started chatting and it was cool, but then grrrrrrr my aunt came along and moved him to some other desk. Damn damn damn. Oh, and my mother narked on me to my aunt, and told her that I was planning on being sick on Wednesday to avoid the morning tea. My aunt said she’d take me downstairs for coffee instead. I felt really really embarrassed.
At lunchtime i was walking to the supermarket when a young man ran out of a shop and yelled at me. How rude!
I heard three Creed songs today, but none of them were “Higher” I had this whole big long list of things to remember to write about. However, I wrote that list on the back of one of the envelopes, and I left it at work. I might have even thrown it out. I hope not – I dunno if I can remember the poem I wrote on it. But just trying to remember my list, it went something like this:
Aerosmith
Rock promos
I should ________ (I so can’t remember how this point ended, but i know it was a brilliant idea!)
or maybe just choke to death on my water
Peter: len, 5ive Crazy
LONESTAR, front page ( I forgot that one, but luckily I’d told Neil to remind me)
Mum narked on me! (which I have already mentioned)
I think that’s about it. So now you know exactly how my day went, huh? Or maybe I should expand each of those points. I might just change their order around a little bit.
In an attempt to break the monotony, and to hear Creed, you may remember that i tuned The Rock into my walkman. Now, readers who don’t live in NZ might not be familiar with The Rock. I’ll voice some of their station IDs for you – just imagine that i’m all deep and manly, like someone doing the introductions at the WWF:
“If your workshop doesn’t listen to The Rock, you’re not a real mechanic. The Rock”.
“Women… can’t live with ‘em, can’t make em dress up in a gimp suit and spank you with a piece of celery”
And so forth. They have ads for strippers – I kid you not. It’s a real blokey radio station. A guy rang up the dj today to ask what he should get his girlfriend for her 25th birthday – the DJ suggested saucy knickers. And that was all he would suggest – apart from passing the girl around the guys’ friends as her birthday treat.
At lunchtime, they played a “lunchbox” of three Aerosmith songs in a row – I didn’t listen to them all, I swear, I surfed away. But they made me cringe to remember that i used to really like Aerosmith. In 1994 back in Tokyo, Beth and I were going to go to their concert, but we also wanted to go to Radiohead (we only knew ‘Creep’ but sung our own words to it “I’m a D, I’m a D Day – I wish I was E Day” – ASIJ had a funny rotating six day scheduale) and since we couldn’t chose which one we wanted to see more, we went to neither. I so used to worship Alicia Silverstone in the Aerosmith videos as well. For one school dance, Mum made me a short dress that had flared sleeves and looked kinda like what she wore in the “Amazing” video, and i was SO stoked. I borrowed Anji’s boyfriend’s doc boots, and just felt very cool. Anyways.
So that’s The Rock, and Aerosmith explained. I can’t remember what my brilliant idea was, unfortnately. I choked to death by thinkign there was very little water in my cup when it was actually full and I swallowed it all at once. I’m making Peter burn me a cd to play at our party. And I already explained about Mum narking on me, which just leaves me with LONESTAR to deal with.
I heard “Baby I’m amazed” many many times today, and I TRIED to listen to it, but it really is just a completly crap song. However, it does have some great memories associated with it – damn I love you girls so much! I wanna move to sydney! Kini and Olivia don’t want me to take the Lonestar bit off the front page, but I’m afraid that a stranger might come to my page and think I’m a total cracker. But then again, if they can’t handle cracker, then they can’t handle me. So there.
Sunday, June 11th, 2000
I’m really happy cos I finished my cd rom today, and it looks okay. I was dumb and forgot to bundle Quicktime with it, so I might have to go and burn a new copy, but I dunno if I can be assed. Guess what everyone’s getting for Xmas? Yes, that’s right. I already had everyone in the multimedia lab today singing “Stop” as I was digitizing my dancing Brad footage.
Then I came home, and I meant to study, but I had to talk on the phone to people, and then I took the paper back to bed cos it was so cold, and then I was warm so I couldn’t get up, and then I had to talk to Shirley for ages, and then I had to watch TV and then Maree came over.
We watched Return to Treasure Island which was very amusing, and then L.A. Confidential. We decided we’re going to invite Russell Crowe and Guy Pierce over to play. We’re happy to share, but I’m going to take Russell first, cos I feel like having a Man kinda Man. It was a really really good movie, even if we did have to go get Macdonalds in the middle of it. I ate like 8 mikan, but they just weren’t doing anything for me. Whoops, that’s mandarins, sorry.
Oh, oh, last night! Clayton’s girlfriend is absolutely lovely, we were very impressed. I’m sure she somehow let me win when we were playing “Agitation” just to get into the good books. I think she didn’t quite get me and Brad, but then again, no one really does. I remember complaining to Thomas once when he didn’t laugh at a joke of mine going “if BRAD was here, he’d laugh” and Thomas was like “Brad laughs at everything you say anyways” but it’s not just mindless laughter, I swear! We’re just on another level. If everyone else knew how to play Song Association, the whole world could laugh along too.
After dinner and lots and lots of wine, Brad and Kate M went off to his room, and Clay and Kara were going to watch a video, so I made Si come to my room to give the kids some privacy. He played on IRC, and I went to bed, quite tired, and quite drunk. I babbled dumbly for ages, but eventually I managed to shut up, and went straight to sleep after his ride came to get him.
Oh oh oh, I need a flatmate, still, really really badly. If everyone could maybe just email Maree and tell her to stop being Kimmy Gibbler and be Stephanie instead, that might help. (for those of you that don’t watch Full House, basically we all want her to stop being the crazy neighbour, and be an actual part of the family). Of course, this is emotional blackmail, which isn’t nice, so umm, sorry Maree. But you love us really.