Multimedia nausea, bushfires and family

Wow... It is seriously easy to occupy one's time in the vast expanses of cyberspace. In an attempt to complete an assignment, I was proud of myself for only wasting an hour online before I sat down in earnest to complete the task at hand. An hour is still an hour.

Ducks don't need satellites. Truer words have never been spoken. Thanks for that, Kate.

Music, along with so many other forms of multimedia permeate our existence to such a degree that I often feel nauseous. Not in an elitist, judgmental way. I'm sitting here doing my homework, listening to Kate Miller-Heidke. Oh, now it's Antony and the Johnsons. Fistful of Love. It really is beautiful. Oops, sidetracked. Another side affect. I meant to say that in a very literal sense, I feel ill in the stomach. I go to bed after checking my email on my mobile phone and perhaps chatting for a while on an instant messaging service. I wonder why my eyes are sore and my stomach turns. I think to myself, what could have caused this? I've only been listening to music on my phone, playing games on my laptop, doing online worksheets for uni on my laptop on the train on the way to my amazing girlfriend's house, (oooh, now it's Gimme Some Lovin', The Blues Brothers) relaying my thoughts to the world (yes, all seven people in the world) via this blog while watching DVD episodes of Life on Mars (the UK version, obviously - nobody should bother with the US one) and eating a tasty chickpea salad with french toast. Hmmm... Could it be the french toast? My head feels ill with all the screens that hold my ever-shortening attention span.

Ah, well. Problem acknowledged. As reward I might play a little Diablo II.

(The Real Man, Yoko Kanno)

It's time to get back to my maths sheet. The first few answers came a little too easily, so I rewarded myself (I do love to reward myself) with a chance to post. All this while, my beautiful girlfriend is slaving away at the hospital, fifty metres down the road. She's an intern. Way to make me feel inadequate (Cardiac Arrest, Madness - perfect song to come on right now - I have always appreciated the importance of slowing it down and not stressing). She hosted a top dinner party last night (an excellent chance to meet up with her hospital pals). she put on a professional spread. All I could supply was a professional smile. It was thoroughly enjoyable. I'm pleased to leave her in the company of the troupe I met last night when I trek back to the beach.

Although I did feel like a bit of an idiot for forgetting one of her close friend's names after meeting her for the third time (Saltwater, The Cat Empire).

I'd like to end on a less trivial note. Victoria has been devastated by the worst bushfires in history over the last few days. Many lives, homes and workplaces have been lost as the fires burn entire communities to the ground. All the while more destruction occurs up north with the torrential flooding. The cyclical irony strikes again. My prayers go out to the farmers up north and the Victorian families who have lost everything, from family members and friends, to the roof above their heads. I pray for the fire fighters and I thank God for the swift offer of help from the military by the Prime Minister and the aid packages on offer from the government. I also thank God for the charity in the hearts of everyone offering spare rooms, houses, shelter, etc. in response to this tragedy. Thank you for watching over me in my travels to visit my girlfriend, whose house is mere kilometers from where one of the fires raged. Give strength to the communities as they rebuild, and pull them together in faith.

It's been good to spend time with my family, despite tho odd sessions of tension, and my love goes out to all my family, those on the peninsula, those in Melbourne and the girl next to the hospital in regional Victoria.

Hope you're all safe (Lucky, Radiohead),

TheSovietChairman

P.S. (Fantasie Sign, Carla Vallet)

P.P.S. (Where Have All The Good Times Gone, The Kinks)

P.P.P.S. Ok, the music is turned off now. I'm going for a walk.

P.P.P.P.S. I know it's ridiculous, but just wondering... Who's the Sydney-sider among my readers?