I had a good day so far. Went out to Cranbourne (no wait it does get better!) to see the new Australian Garden out there, it was great, they have these amazing land sculptires made from red sand. It still has some growing to do, but generally it is a big improvement over most native gardens, which are basically dull as dishwater. Dad bought me lunch and I just cooked madelienes, and spent 20 minutes moving my computer around trying to find someone's unsecured wireless I could use :ssh:

Going out in a bit to a gallery opening, should be good.

Had pub drinks last night, twas fun, is always quite tame I spose with uni people but that is nice too. Met a girl from Columbia who doesn't drink coffee and has the best accent ever, her. CHatted to various people, including this funny guy Stephen who is like a subversive nerd, one minte he is talking far too in depth about latin, the next he is telling me about the boys he picked up on capri and trying to get me to come to an AFL game (never have been never will ) Got annoyed at stupid Dave as usual, as soon as he hears anyone talking about sport he comes and takes over and excludes and women from the conversation, grrr. He is studying the bronze age but is positively neanderthal.

Over and out.

Uni, how can it only be wednesay? I feel like I have done a whole weeks work. Currently arranging slides that will hopefully work today. Yesterday it was slides no worky day, they are the oldest technology here and the most recalcitrant. Grr. I ended up having to change each one by hand, but because they are mounted so high this necessitated me standing on a chair to do it. So glad that I wore a mini dress yesterday Haha anyway, it was quite funny, at one point I was making a point and changing a slide and I got distracted and realised I was standing on a chair at the front of the class gesticulating and talking... I must have looked like some drama queen tutor, haha. Oh well. Had to rush in early for supervision this morning, joy, well actually it was quite useful, except that every time I am always rushing to get soemthing printed and then the discussion is such that I end up deciding it needs to be completely changed before my supervisor reads it, ah well. I have written so much that it starts to get bewildering and becomes more a case of working out the best structure to fit it into. My aim now is to have 80% thesis 90% complete.

Oh and random pictures ok this is hard to see but it is a huige person sized bear thing in a townhouse office in north melbourne, very strange this is just funny, though perhaops not so wrong if you know melbourne transport and some strange picture that was on my phone

What to say. My weekend was a bit up and down and all over. At least there was a sunshine theme.

I messed up the samurai sudoku, that made me sad.
I bought taromasolata, that made me happy.
I got nowhere on my chapter draft, which I am used to.

Teaching will probably take up most of tomorrow through to wednesday as gard as I will try to not let it.

The guy from the apartment down the hall locked himself out so he just came through our apartment so he could climb over the baclonies to his. Yikes, we aren't that high up, but high enough. He made it safely though!

Blood oranges have arrived at the market, yum, even though it isn't very campari-esque weather I will be indulging nonetheless. Actually it is funny, I have no incliunation to drink it here in winter, but I drink heaps of it in Italy in winter? Same goes for ice-cream, somehow in rome it is never too cold for ice-cream, or maybe it just tastes better walking through pretty streets with a cute guy. hmmm. One of life's mysteries I suppose.

Oh I just found the best website, for gardens anyway, just when you think there is nothing useful on the web.... I also discovered that one of the villas I am working on was bought by a billionare who is obsessed with the story of pinocchio and he is going to turn it into 'a palace of dreams' . Actually he is restoring the villa so it is probably all good.

A self-made millionaire who drew inspiration from the story of Pinocchio has bought a vast, derelict villa in the Tuscan town of Collodi - where the wooden puppet's tale was set - to house a museum in its honour. Federico Bertola plans to turn the Villa Garzoni, a vast Baroque mansion built in the early 17th century and now classified as a national monument, into a "museum for dreams". He has already invested almost €5m (£3.3m) simply to restore the vast facade and roof of the villa, which was owned until 2000 by the Countess Gardi, who lived modestly in a few rooms while the rain poured through holes in the roof and the paper peeled in hundreds of empty rooms around her. The villa's garden, overgrown for decades, has been restored and opened to the public. Mr Bertola hopes to complete the restoration and open a museum in the town, which already attracts Pinocchio-loving pilgrims. The story is widely believed to have been set in Collodi, the town from which the author, the journalist Carlo Lorenzini, took his name. Lorenzini's mother worked at the Villa Garzoni and he is believed to have known the area well. "Dreams are hidden in books. And for me the big book of dreams was Pinocchio," Mr Bertola, 58, told the Corriere della Sera newspaper. He described how when he visited the Villa Garzoni two years ago, he realised he wanted to make it a tribute to the fact that dreams can come true, as they did in his and many Italians' lives as they turned from peasants into rich industrialists over the past half century. "Sometimes dreams come out of the books and become reality ... I was a farmworker and a ploughman, with only elementary school in my pocket, and I managed to make my dreams come true, just as the little wooden puppet did," he said. He grew up in a village called Pecorara, near Piacenza, working in the fields with his seven siblings from the age of 10. "We worked hard, but we never had enough money," said Mr Bertola. "So at 16 I decided to leave and go and make my fortune in Milan." Mr Bertola survived mishaps and crooks, ending up today the owner of an industrial construction firm with a turnover of €120m per year. As a young man he read Pinocchio over and over again. Besides telling a moral tale about the effect of lies, the story describes the simple life of Geppetto, the carpenter who dreams of having his own child and eventually makes himself a wooden one which comes to life. A Pinocchio theme park at the bottom of the villa's garden already has lifesize statues of Pinocchio characters that draw thousands of tourists every year

Just photocopied a whole book, boo, took an hour but I had to do it as it was special deivery from Yale in the US and i'm not allowed to take it out of the library. I have another to do sometime, joy.

Met lizey for coffee this morning, then I went and signed up for kung-fu, well for a free trial, wooo I'm gonna be dangerrrrousss!The place is sooo nice, it is above cookie and run by this cool couple, their little kid is there, she must be about 3, she does kicks and is co cute, she ran off with my beanie.

Finished article and nearly finished paper for tonight, but remembered I have a book review to do. Argh. So I should stop reading fantasy novels and read this book but I don't wanna.

PLUS I just got invited to a summer party in Tuscany in August, argh and an email from a friend in venice that I only got halfway through because it was too depressing. Boo I want to go overseas.

Also my special superpower today is breaking make-up containers

Ok things I have to do that are stressing me out... -finish well overdue article for website, should be done tomorrow -organise pics or said article -fix up conference paper from feb for publication -write a paper and make presentation for monday -finish a chapter so can give supervisor 'big polished chunk' (his words) when he gets back from spain (bastard) -work out what on earth an article that is due on 31 Juy is going to be about and write it -fret about having no money coming in after August 23rd -write up a travel grant application by next week -prepare for measly tutoring I should be glad in some ways that lots of things are cmoing together but it is just stressful. Plus I haven't had a break from any of this since i don't know when, February I suppose, and can't see the possiblity of having one until november. I also hate that it is all so damn essential for my cv/career whatever but pretty much none of it is paid, meaning I am busy and poor and just have extra stresses. Oh man I just want to cry. An now my blog isn't even any fun, just a catalogue of woes.

A bit better today, just down at the moment, going to make some biscuits or something soon.

I just went to Myer and bought a matching elle macpherson bra and knickers for $30, yay, and a gorgeous Cue shirt, dark green with billowy sleeves and elastic around the bottom so it flows in this bubble like hem, gah bad description, but so nice, and they gave me $10 because ther was a small tear which will take me about 5 seconds to sew up.

Then I should do some more work. I have tutoring for next semseter, only 2 tutes at this point but hopefully lots more students will enrol and I will get more, but still that is at least $130 a week which will pay my rent after my scholarship ends. Boo I am going to be so poor.

don't know I am so down lately. First I thought it was my cold, then my period, then missing my medication but now all those things are gone and I don't feel any better. Just very blank. Yesterday I just sat around reading all day, it was ok, but not as nice as reading all day should be. I wanted mark and i to have nice night out on saturday but then by the time we had a few drinks, wel I did he only had one and went ot the movies but he wouldn't stand in a queue so we couldn't go, it was a saturday night for fucks sake! what did he expect? Then we went home and he just lay on the bed saying he was hungry but nothing I could make would be ok. grr. so over it all. I really need my nights out, I am at home all the time working and I need to et out, the apartment is not a relaxing place to be, and I would like him to come out with me but there doesn't seem to be anything he enjoys, and getting him out at all takes so much energy. Great now I am crying at uni.

At fed sqaure for football back when we were stilll in, ah aren't flares fun?!





























































at drinks launch



























randomness pictures

I have been sick, ergh, just a cold so don't worry, cos I know you were, very worried. But its ok I am getting better and the world can start to turn again. Tonight I will celebrate this health improvement by going to a tasting a fine burgundy wines.

I just had coffee with mum, that was fun, we talked for 2 hours and I made her late because I wouldn't stop talking, haha. Now I am going to go home and make madelienes and listen to Radio National.

Au revoir.

What has happened since last update hmmm.

Went out with sarz to a drinks launch and took photos for her, so my perfect job, not that I got paid, well I got free cocktails and that is something I am happy to work for!

Went to fed square to watch football on friday, good times, then had breakfast at the ungodly hour of 7am, not a time I am really acquainted with. Rwas fun though, me and eliza went to a cafe run by these italians at the qv, and they speak lots of italian and serve good coffee and bomboloni. The guy he owns it bought in a projector and we were watching re-plays, oh yes good times.

Made dumplings at Carla's on friday night, yum, we did pretty good for first timers.

Worked all weekend! Gah so much work, handed in 20 000 word report on Monday, then went to pilates then got really down, exhausted I suppose, which wasn't helped by the socceroos bloody losing to bloody italy, gah, Totti, grr. So mad at that penalty shot, what nonesense. Still they did play well. But also Italy was meant to be my second team, but now I am too angry and think I will go for england instead.

Took yesterday off to make chocolate cupcakes and go out for lunch and read fantasy novels.

Working today again, have an article to finish by friday, yikes.

Pictures coming soon, as soon as I can find a decent computer, stupid piece of crap state library. I hate hate this library. Full of slack students listening to music loudly and talking and sick people coughing up phlegm, urgh. I remember the good old days when we had a pretty arts library and the only real annoyances were the bums who slept in the corner, and at least they were quiet.

Photos from last friday, black and white is such a good idea for trashy photos, some how it makes silly drunken dancing look a bit arty, haha!

















Me and sam, I was trying the serious look.





















My first Jaeger bomb, apparently it was outrageous that I had never tried one, it was revolting.



















Ben being silly, sarah being gorgeous, me being out of the frame














A classic carla, can you believe they kicked her out shortly after?!

Hamish in the Jungle! or just in the vegie patch at mum and dad's




















The QV looking atmospheric.



















Shark Attack!! It's a coffin, from Ghana, pretty cool hey.

hey chickens, all is more or less well in kat-land. I am busy writing and editing to submit something for a review by circulation, my deadline is friday and it is 20 000 words Its ok really i have the words, just need to make them super dooper fancy and intelligible words and all will be good.

otherwise, went with elena to the gallery yesterday, was tres fun, we chatted lots and laughed at old portraits and drooled over the fashion and said intelligent things about the photography and rated the furniture in terms of comfort. Got home to find makr had built his new office chair, looks very fancy, very *I am about to take over the world* all he needs is a white persian cat.

tuesday wasn't much, tried to write a letter to someone, went badly, boo and word crashed twice

Monday, umm worked.

I am considering putting in an abstract for a conference in oxford in november

Not much to report, had a nice weeekend between going out an dstaying in but was mostly drunk the whole time, watched the football last night, haha I was yelling and banging th floor when Australia got their third goal, teehee. Oh found this photo of the evil carrot my mum grew. It grew between the bricks of the vegie garden, instead of in the garden and came out evil!!





























Now I must leave evil carrots and get back to writing my 25000 word review by circulation, after coffee, and a tart that is.

From last friday, write it out but couldn't upload....

*have five minutes on internet left, takes deep breath* Have worked hard writing most of week, been tired and verging on sick but survived nevertheless, met alice yesterday, she is gorgeous and bought a beautiful skirt which makes he rlook hot, carla tried on pretty dress, amazing actually and we ate dumplings. Went out for dinner on monday which was fun, my supervisor is about to go away to spain, damn him and I have to submit 25000 word review, yes 25000!! eek but should be ok, bought a red dress on tuesday which is delicious and warm, short 70s? I think tunic dress, belted it is hot, last friday bought a pretty shirt which I am wearing today, 1980s with poofy sleeves and peral buttons, a bit big but goes well with white cinch belt. that is all there is time for, love you all.....




me having fun on saturday with carlabarla

yo kids! Boo that was my attempt to be bright and breezy but it isn't working. I declare the weather today revolting. The mist was nice this morning but it never cleared just sat around like an unwanted relative, a grey one. Booo to you clouds.

have attempted to brighten day by wearing of red and silver top and stilettos, is working a little bit.

been to doctor, studied, scanned pictures, listened to spanish music, decent monday I suppose.

weekend was pleasant, bought lots of food at the market on saturday, then studied all day, edit edit edit, decided my supervisor is maybe slightly better, though he may never be forgiven for writing 'GRRR' on my draft (kidding).

Had nice drinks at the wine shop, they have a pinot grigio that I love at the moment, partly because of taste but also because the producer is 'Armani' so I say 'I'll have the armani thanks' *bats eyelids and looks suave* I think the joking is paling slightly, though not on me

that is me evil laughing.

saw x-men three, which was good though I was left with the desire for superpowers which slightly marred my enjoyment of sunday, which was sunny. Had coffee with mum and dad, worked, had drinks then watched sunday night movies.

Ah I am sleepy, I think I am getting sick. I was dizzy all yesterday, well not all the time, just for like a second every five minutes. hmmm.

Plus i need a secret supervsior with a bonnet. :( I really really need to talk about my content in this chapter and all David will do is talk about grammar and send me to read fowlers, arghh *tears hair out*. I need a lie down and tea, and biscuits and probably wine.

today is fill my blog with stuff day.

Photos from sunday afternoon tea at Broni's place in Mooroolbark, I look a bit sleepy because I was having beer and scones.

could I possibly love more that these guys won eurovision??!! the flowers just make it too

i am soo desperate to go shopping, I really want to go to camberwell markets but I never get organised enough, ah well. I saw these boots I love in quick brown fox yestrday, they are only 450 and sort of cheaply made, but I really like them, but I feel they are a bad investment.
I bought dvds yesterday, 'Notorious!' (reminds me of our Jessica *wipes tear*) and SATC season 3. It was funny too because there was this song on that was really familiar but not very good but I was singing along and then realised it was the Israeli entry to Eurovision the one that only got deux points or something. which reminds me I must declare my eternal tv broadcasting love for Terry Wogan, forever, i wish he could do the commentary for everything.

I am in at uni today, bought my pooter so should get some work done, not sure where though, it is horribly hot in the postgrad room, and I hate the libraries, full of students (what a surprise!).

One of my inter-library loans has come in, that is very exciting for me because I am a PhD student

Hmm what other randomness? I had cheese on toast last night for dinner and am going to a lecture tonight about gorillas and art or something, i should know I stuck up all the posters.

ahh friday, soooo good, friday has this inherent goodness which makes me happy even though I don't actually have a regular working week. I had porridge at ro's this morning, so delicious I put sugar and honey on, oh yes, sugar is good for me, meeeeeeee. Had lots of coffee too, ah well, I needed waking up.
Yesterday I was utterly asleep, I couldn't do anything at all, except meet carla for coffee at st jeromes and then play computer games. no work done. So i was good and just drank water and ate some fish and now I am ok again. (haha except that I sound crazy).

Now I should go home and work but I think I might go and buy some new shoes, blue ones from zomp. Then work. Maybe.

What else, hmmmm. I am being included on a research cluster for Rome, that would be fun, money for travel, not heaps, but some. Mostly this week I ahev just been trying to get my head around the arcadians and Jansenism and buon gusto and whatnot. Plus try and work out what to write about Torelli's sets, yesterday I pretty much came up with "they are pretty, he was clever there are gardens and plants and stuff. the end"

Had a good weekend, a bit strange in some ways. mark was in a very bad mood with me on staurday so I made him talk and then we had a sort of fight, but not really, actually it was worse than a fight because it is all so depressing, butttt. anyways the weekend was good after that, though i still worry about everything all the time, which sucks.

Took mark to shanghai dumpling and had fun singing along to the daggy 50s songs they had on, I was doing actions and everything for 'stand by me' I am such an embarrasment, haha, well that's what mark thinks, clearly carla would have appreciated my silliness after our tipsy singing to 90s classics the week before. Then went to see Mission impossible 3 just because there were rome bits in it, it was ok, but the end was so cheesy there was practically mozarella flooding the cinema.

Sunday was mother's day so had lunch with mum and mucked around, me and mum were doing yoga poses after lunch and then hamish (the dog) started attacking me when I was down, haha. Oh I love him so, we were all standing around talking at one stage and he just started rolling on his back barking beacuse he didn't like being ignored.

Worked hard-ish today wrote a whole lot of notes on 18th centry theatre and opera and started idssecting different types of semiology which makes my brain hurt, but I got a good lot done and should finish it tonight. Hurrah.

Had a crazy night last night, couldn't play netball but eliza wanted me to come out because her car died and she was sad so we went to the brunswick green and had some food and got drunk. listened to some music and got drunk and eliza was telling everyone about the car she even requested a song to be played for it. Poor rosie the car r.i.p.

Anyways it was nice and relaxing, though I think one of her friends was eyeing me up, he kept sitting closer on the couch and when we left he kissed me goodby, you know the kiss on the cheek that is just a bit too close, oh well, he wasn't too bad i spose and after we went to the retreat and had more wine but we were very drunk by then and eliza was very rude to this guy, but it didn't matter because he was an idiot, sat down at our table and said 'so do you come here often ' she just glared at him and said 'we are having a private conversation can you just go away' what a champ.

Then she got me a cab and i went home, dropped my phone on the stairs and it came apart and I put it back together and then couldn't work out why it wasn't working so i was sitting in the hall swearing at it and woke mark up, my bad, especially when the reason it wasn't working was because it was switched off, I took it apart three times before i figured that out... then i went downstair to watch buffy and fell asleep and then eventually went to bed.. had breakky this morning and me and eliza were both so hung, oh dear, am feeling better now though, just a bit tired and dehydrated. Am off to meet Juan for coffee soon, and should study this afternoon.

I wrote 2000 words yesterday, oh yes, i am the greatest , but today my head is brokened I have to go stick up posters for some lecture on an artist who sculpted gorillas then text Katie to say I can't go to netball cos of my knee, she won't like me. hmmm what else, I had a dream I had to move last night and I got a print out of places that were available and there was one in clifton hill and one in london

Weekend was very very fun. Lets see, friday I went out to sit in journal and drink coffee and edit my chapter and watch people get wet on the street whilst remaining cosy. Then Carla came and distracted me we went on our regular pilgrimage to dressland a.k.a. retrostar. Ended up having beer in Myers in the basement and then had chinese food at shanghai dumpling and drank beer and were raucous. Then home and I baked a pumpkin and drank red wine and listen to Mark's mozart program on 3mbs. Saturday had a very genteeeel breakfast at lizey's, well because we sat in the dining room and debaed our emotional response to pink and had toast with marmalade. Went home and cooked stuff and tidied and stuck up pictures. People came over about 8pm and it was so fun, I felt I didn't really get to talk to everyone properly though. I got nice and drunken, happy drunk really. Them went out to the supper club with Jarrod, Tara, Tim and Mark. The wine shop guys bought me a glass of amazing champagne, I'm not sure what it was but it was amazing! Then had some stunning amaro, oh so good. Went home and collapsed (and I was not the one sleeping in the bathroom this time!! ) Sunday was pure unadulterated laziness. I played the computer, read my books, read the saturday paper, ate leftovers drank campari.mmmm Have been busy today, went to the doctor and my knee is funny, I have weak knee muscles and need to build them up. In other words I need to develop soccer player legs. haha. Plus he said to try and avoid stairs, oh dear, anyone who knowsmy place will know the complete and utter impossibility of that. Just helped my supervisor to give and info session on the upcoming rome course for next January, I had to convey the fun you can have at the British school, haha, I should have taken some of my recent photos in for them, hmmm I so so so hope I get to go as tutor teaching art in rome = dream job , even though I won't get paid really, but who cares I get to be in Rome.

argh, I need the net at home, I started taking notes of things to write in here then I have no time. I had a good birthday, ate lots of food and can't wait to party on the weekend.

oh dear that was my most boring entry ever.

I am browsing myspace at the moment instead of working and am searching for old friends but realised that scrolling through the profiles it probably looks to the others in the postgrad room as though I am doing online dating, teehee.

I am eating delicious fruit and little sandwiches they just arrived in the postgrad room, ohh happy days

Not much to report here, I am just writing writing. Had a good weekend, got my mark into some retro threads a nice leather jacket, only $30, he has been doing 'funky squad' moves ever since.

Went out with Carla and Sare on Sat, that was great, exactly what I needed, not too messy just a bit of dancing and general hijinks.

Parents on Sunday, and cuddles for the puppy one, he is so loverly, he just kept leaping on my lap and snuggling Mum made yummy soup and there were delicious breads and olives and cheese.

Nothing much else really, miss you all (well those who leave comments that is ) I really need internet at home again but I am getting so much writing done I am reluctant.

Had a good supervision session today, we edited a whole two pages! At this rate we should have gone through everything by, hmm, 2008. Ah well at least David is being constructive and nice. Just had pilates with cute instructor, yum.

Had muchas funas yesterday meeting Carla and Peta! and I bought a new dress, looks so good, beautiful knee-length green vintage dress with long sleeves and buttons down the front so that it can be unbuttoned for cleavage, also has big lapels Love! I had to buy it because Carla bougth a cute polkadot dress and I had dress envy. haha

Went to a wine-tasting of chablis last night, twas most delicious, though they got quite intense to taste after a few, I ended up just drinking them all, no spitting, so i was a bit drunken.

Must head home soon and do some typing, am aiming for another 2000 words before the weekend and then at least another 1000 over the weekend.

Hmm have not achieved anything really since last entry, this is bad. Well have achieved lots of lazy sitting around but no actual thesis work. What happened to Thursday? Or was that Thursday? Oh the confusion.

I installed a counter on my blog, how very exciting. Though I have realised that it now looks as though despite having almost two years of entries it looks as though I have only had about 10 hits :(

Happy Easter all.

Sunday evening
Had a rather good day, quiet, but productive. I think I got about 4 hours work done, maybe more, which is pretty good for a Sunday. Though in all honesty that is pretty good for me full stop. Stopped for lunch, finished reading Perfume, went out for a walk and a choclate waffle at Max Brenner and came home and worked again. Should be through with the Medici and Giulio Parigi by tomorrow and then on Tuesday can work on knocking the first two sections of this chapter into shape. Hopefully the State Library will be open as I can go and sit there away from distractions and just work on writing.

I sat on my bed today and gazed at my teetering pile of paperbacks and realised I was dividing them between which were mine and which were Mark’s. Then I realised I made two separate piles of his DVDs and mine the other day. Hmmm. Not really very healthy, or maybe it is. I am going to counselling this week.

I have wet feet, it is all rainy, though suny at the moment. I am at my sisters computer with two cute brittany spaniels staring at me through a muddy window. Plus I am covered in cat fur from Larla, the most sheddiest cat ever. I just realised that she is nearly 11 years old now. Still gets grumpy and bites though. She is all love love love, then POW! she sinks the teeth in. I love her for it.

What else, I watched the Spanish Apartment last ight and it was good and if youhaven't seen it you must watch it now.

I also had porridge yesterday for breakfast with brown sugar and cinnamon ad lots of cream and it was good I wanted to bathe in it.

Anyway, eggs tomorrow, and much chocolatey goodness.

Listening to Nick Cave and thinking about writing something deep and interesting about Mount Parnassus and the gardens of the medici. Really all I have achieved is to try out some different make-up styles. Sigh. Maybe I am kidding myself about working well in the evenings... Hmmmmmm.

Right, no more blogging until have written 500 words about Buontalenti.



There done. Though it was a tad frustrating, bloody American academics concerned more with the lack of 20th century social justice on the Renaissance stage than with actually discussing what was happening :banghead: Not that a study of the creators, and the lost participants isn’t valid but this one is simply imposing 20th century attitudes. Boo, irritating revisionist sod. I am off for more wine and to watch television.