eviltigerlily

Moscow it is then. I'll do some sight seeing, relatives visiting, cooling (it's still over 30C) and not being in Israel. I'm hoping to save up money during the year and go somewhere else in the summer, a new place. Possibly Italy or even England. Both are relevant to my interests. Oh and fun.

I'm leaving on Monday, so lots to do before then. Presents to buy for the family and I have to unearth my winter clothes (it's 6C there last time I checked). I also want to get together a rough idea of what I want to do, so I can arrange my time to suit.

Have now read Beowulf. Am impressed, but I can't help worrying how much of it's power has been lost in translation. *flattens the urge to learn another dead language*

My mom got back from a month in Russia this week. The place is noisy again. She brought me two dresses and just to prove she has in fact met me, some fresh berries (nothing really good grows in this benighted place). The dresses are nice, though. She has also bought matches, because you absolutely must import matches from abroad. *facepalm*

So, I had to get the really important stuff for myself. I went to return a library book (and get a new one). They have a shelf of books they're selling near the entrance to the reading hall. I like to have a look when I'm not in a hurry, but this was the first time I bought one. The Arden Henry IV part one. The second tetralogy plays have been on my to buy list for some time. I probably shouldn't have gone to the bookshop after that. I did. I've got the complete Sherlock Holmes stories and Julius Caesar. So many things to read, so little time. I want to read a book about Caesar. I'm wavering between just reading Plutarchos and a proper historical analysis. I've also been told brushing up on my knowledge of grammar will be useful for my Latin course next year. I've got grades for all my courses now, except one tutorial. I'm a bit at a loss what to do with myself now, actually.

I haven't slept a wink in the past two nights. Managed to catch some sleep yesterday noonish, but now after another sleepless night I don't feel at all sleepy. It seems that the long strech of extreme sleepyness is being relpaced with insomnia. Haven't had it for a while.
My mom is irritated that my routine has become even more owlish then it was before. I don't feel tired, but I have the trance like feeling you get when you don't get enough sleep. Have to go get my mom a present sometime this week.

Our guests are leaving in a few hours. I wonder what will happen after that. The anticipation of the visit was kindda what was driving me these past few months.

Off course in the time honored tradition I must get sick sometime before my birthday. We've hit the beginning of the rainy season and I have 7 new babies.

I is off to Jerusalem tomorrow with my cousin. We shall be visiting the christian sites. Going there again on monday to see the jewish sites. I've seen it all before, but it can be nice. The churches and cathedrals are pretty. And on monday we'll be at the wailing wall. People stuff notes in there. Supposed to be a hotline to God. Any messages?

My eyes seems to have exploded. Less computer time for me.
Damn.

EDIT
Now I've burned my fucking fingers. In boiling fucking oil! My right hand is now a two fingred claw.

Well, I finished the room. I started work before 9am and finished around 7pm. Obviously there was some time there waiting for the paint to dry, but I had other things to do in the meantime. Every muscule in my body aches and everything I look at has a blue hue to it. My skin I'm absolutely positive has turned blueish. But it's done.

Also as I only slept four hours tonight (woke up at 4am, I've no idea why), I had time to finish reading "The Gun Seller". Like there actually needed to be another reason to love Hugh Laurie.

Finally bought the colours for my room. It's going to be two shades of blue. Frankly, anything would be a step up from what it currently is, which is beige. I got a new lamp too. It's really cool. Gleaming metal and glass affair. Now I've actually got to do it. Yes.

Some of the unfortunate, but strangely ironic fallout of the war: the IDF has used up quite a lot of money and now they seem to need a massive increase in their budget on the double. Naturally, the money would have to be cut from somewhere else. Now, the goverment had already been quite industrious in the "cutting money" department (especialy from various social programs and education) that there isn't much of anything they can cut the money from. They only way is to decrease pensions and various social benefits, which they had already done several times.
Now for the really great bit - the minister of defense, who should of course lobby to increase the IDF budget, was previously head of the workers union. He had spent all his previous career fighting those kind of budget cuts. Having to cause them? Now, that makes him look about 10 different kinds of silly.
I just like to enjoy the irony before the country goes down the drain.

Well, Pluto is now officially a dwarf planet. Perhaps now the astronomer chappies can find the time for dealing with actual scientific issues rather then semantics.

Meanwhile, I've decided to paint my room. Haven't decided on a colour yet, but I have to get to it fast, or I'll end up not doing it at all. My room really could use a fresh coat of pain, but the true purpose is to find something to keep myself occupied. If I can't complete long term projects I'll do small ones. I also decorated a box...thing. Sounds daft perhaps, but it's something to do. It actually came out quite well.

So the first thing they did on the course is give us an exam. I don't think I did very well on the mathematics section. I only answered 11 questions out of 25. The annoying thing is I'm good with math, but in order to answer questions I need to actually think about the solution, and with 25 minutes for 25 questions there just isn't time. Still, I'm not too worried. They will teach us how to solve mathematical problems without thinking too much. I am the only one who thinks that's daft? Anyway, it's just for one test.

And now for something completly different....
Here's a lovely expert:

For our high Gods have sick and wearied grown
Of all our endless sins, our vain endeavour
For wasted days of youth to make atone
By pain or prayer or priest, and never, never,
Hearken they now to either good or ill,
But send their rain upon the just and the unjust at will.

They sit at ease, our Gods they sit at ease,
Strewing with leaves of rose their scented wine,
They sleep, they sleep, beneath the rocking trees
Where asphodel and yellow lotus twine,
Mourning the old glad days before they knew
What evil things the heart of man could dream, and dreaming do.

The poem is called "Panthea" ( frying-panthesit anyone?) and can be found here