Inconceivable!
The weather is fine. There is that funny shimmer coming off the tarseal- in fact it's HOT.

Which is great seeing that it's sunday and I didn't have the best day yesterday. I mean, unproductivity sucks right?
Prior to conquering Sam's blog at 2 in the morning after a long day at the office, I went and had a "beer" (well a juice) with Brian the cleaner and his mate Robert at the Cook. It was real interesting listening to a couple of old guys talk about their view of life and how they got to be sitting in the Cook with a 21 year old med student. Gus and I then took 'risk" to Castle St where we attempted to conquer the world with Becs and Dre. Good times and good Banoffee pie (Thanks Milly).

Saturday I got up at about 10, which was bad, and I didn't get down to the lab till 12. Didn't really achieve much, some graphs which told me that my experiment needed some work, and some photoshopn which required a little more memory than was available on the power mac. Quiet frustrating really. Then took Reuben to the airport and went flat shopping. Finally wrote in Mel's Book (sorry!!!!) and passed it onto Penny. Returned to the lab about 5, packed up all my stuff and took it home. -Put all my references into Endnote to prevent a total waste of the day. Went down to Liz's party about 9- but really wanted to leave and go to bed. Had fun with the games, but left at about 10:30. Went to bed and watched 4 episodes of 'Blackadder goes fourth'- including the last really sad one.

Had a really good qt this morning, and I really needed it. I guess that when you're physically tired your spiritual life suffers as well.
Whatever you bind on earth, will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven
I guess that says to me about the physical affecting the spiritual, and how much not looking after your body can impact on other stuff. I know that I've "learnt" this many times before, but it always amazes me how easy it is to fall back into it. However, on the plus side, it's taking me less time to realise the signs and symptoms of overwoprking now, so at least I'm growing.

Right going to buy fireworks and enjoy the sun :)

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Can't complain...
...that no one else updates if you don't first.
...cos life is going well, even if it's not necessarily all swinging my way
...that I chose to get up at 5am yesterday to use an experimental machine (real time PCR machine- oh yeah)
...that Abbey, Carmi and Lyds came over tonight
...that I gave Mel a lift to the airport this morning and we had a cool chat about random stuff
...that mainly "old people" were at Prayer today- as in CE veterans rather than geriatric like peoples
...that I talked to a pathologist yesterday and she taught me how to be excited about histology (microscope stuff) on a whole new level. (sad but true)
...that next friday is Guy Fawkes and I hope that you can all come. meet 4/58 Royal Terrace at 8, and we'll go done to a beach and blow stuff up. Either BYO fireworks and food, or bring some cash to contribute to the "reloaded" tin crate of fireworks.
Might postpone if raining.

Nope, can't complain at all.

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Going nuts experimentally
Yesterday, I did nearly the equivalent of a weeks work in one day. I was really proud because all I had to do to finish off an excellent day was to check my results.

This morning, I came in, spent most of the morning talking to Alex about her trip to the States, then ran my checks to finish off a good days work, and prep for a big one tomorrow.
This afternoon, I paid my visa bill, and restarted about half a days work, plus the joy of doubling it, because I wanted to take it conservatively. About 25 minutes left to go by my count.

The experiments themselves aren't too taxing- infact it's all prep for tomorrow, but man, its tough staying up and alert since 7am. That means, I've been up for... 17 and a bit hours and counting, 12 of which have been in the lab. It's been productive, extremely challenging, and very up and down. Sometimes I hate myself for being here, other times i pat myself on the back for perserverance, and then sometimes the little man who I'm hallucinating slaps me round to wake me up. (just kidding.)

I have had some really good prayer time as well- I woke up at some random time this morning and just started praying for people- I don't know how effective it was, I didn't really feel like I "connected with God" on anything, but it was kinda different.

On Wednesday I went to the Medical Forum on Childhood obesity (it was very boring!) Talking to some fellow BmedSci'ers they were talking about doing late nighters too. I wonder if that has any relation to why I'm here. I hope not. i actually think it has more to do with the type of people we are. i think that we're quiet determined, and willing to do what it takes to get the job done. I don't particularly enjoy staying up to all hours of the morning, or even talking about it. But I do hate leaving a job undone, and enjoy leaving a job finished. Still... I wonder.

It's always a bad sign when you look outside, and the med library's lights are out.

Last night's celebration night was really cool. I enjoyed the good company, food and music. :) But more than that, for all the stats going on, it made me aware of how small the church was, (ie local) yet still so large (the number of people and things that went on without me really knowing). I'm going to miss this place, and I don't even know half of what's going on ;).

Woohoo 11 minutes to go =)

So everybody (bar me, and Lyds) seems to be blogging more now that exams are on. or at least more frequently. I bet all your rooms are sparkling too.

Oh, on Sunday I cooked Chinese Pork buns (Ba'l?) and Lak Cheung (Chinese sausage) with some of the money that Mum gave the flat to take Andrew out (and we never did).
Andrew came round, and we had a pretty good time, bringing back some good old home memories- You know one of the cool things about Wellington is the Chinese Anglican Church Bazzar, ok so I used to hate it, because I was scared of the lion dance, but I'm really looking forward to it next year. Mmmm, so much good chinese food at so cheap prices. and Gon Gon (my granddad) always helps out with the cooking so there's always left overs. Ok, so the stalls are always a bit naff, and the helium balloons always get stuck up in the roof of the hall (bout 3 storeys up), but I guess that's just part of it.

Right- time to move.

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thoughts on leaving
"Anything great always comes at a great cost" (unknown)
"Actually, I want to write about how stink I feel that people are leaving, but no-one seems to want to talk about it. I think I’m coping quite well with it, but I’m not sure, because… well, I’m just not. Yeah, that’s all I need to say about that." (Benton, 2004).

At the start of this year, I wasn't keen on leaving. I could see myself here for a very long time, probably working in Dunedin Hospital or something, married, kids etc etc. But that almost terrified me as much as leaving- I just didn't say it. So He tells me to go to Wellington.
Shoot forward to the Missions weekend- "God, I want to travel and serve you where ever- I'm thinking overseas at the moment." Basically the desire to go and be useful, be a blessing.
Go over many hills and valleys. God seems to be working in so much of my life, sorting stuff out like board ($90 a week for Kilbernie!!! Rent is at least $110 round there if not more :) ), and a few other things that I needed to deal with, and some pretty cool adventures along the way.
All the while two things kept saddening my heart
i) I'm leaving Dunedin and all these great people.
ii) most of my really good friends are going on overseas and I can't go too :( (Yay Gus, Becs etc who are staying firmly in NZ over summer)

On Sunday night it was another missions night. And I confess, I did feel kinda wretched that all the missionaries were having heaps of fun and just really "set" to go. And then Dan said, "It's not about you, but all the people that you're going to impact for God"-or something like that.
And God said "what makes you going to Wellington so different from these guys going to Chile, Phillipines or Malawi?"
And I said "Um..."
So yeah, I guess I now have a "mission" or purpose if you will - to serve my friends and my family and the community of Wellington. I feel really convicted to step up in prayer for them and for the people of Wellington, especially the churches. I have been so worried about the "Wellington lifestyle" which is definitely a lot less social than in Dunedin, because it's more expensive, as well as the whole growing up side of it. But gee, you know I never really bothered to PRAY about it before.

Listen: This is what the LORD , the God of Israel, says: 'Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians. My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD . They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. (Jer 24:5-7)

i don't quite know what that means in its entirity, but I know that it's for me.
Doesn't make leaving any easier, but it certainly helps with going.
Have a good one.

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I win
Ng takes the ball up the left hand flank, knocks it infield to Ng who's running hard onto it towards the 16 yd box. Cuts the ball back to Ng, who jumps the defender's tackle- yes Ng I think missed it there- Ng, still going, jinks one, spins through another, draws back and **** SCORES!!!!**** Yes, really did leave the 'keeper no chance whatsoever with the pearler of a shot to the top right hand corner. Look at the crowd they've gone absolutely banana's.

Ok, so that was a bit hyped, but guess what: Today I FINALLY got the histology (microsope stuff) to work. It's only been since July that I've been trying. WHOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Sweet life! Flip, it really is such a relieving feeling. We've ended up trying massive amplification of the staining while tryng every trick in the book to keep it specific. (not random). Now, (hopefully) I can actually do the research.

It's been a really good, God filled couple of days. And maybe I'll tell you about them tomorrow because I'm already breaking one of the new lessons of "discipline".
But you know, sometimes it almost seems worth it :P

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Long Day, Long week

In my accountability sheet for life group, it says "in bed by 2300". I think I've failed today. But hear me out, and judge me.
Or not as Mt 7:1 says.

This week I've been really pushing through the experiments. I think my home arrival times have been 6:30, 7, 7:15, 8pm
Most days I've started at 9. This is rather discouraging. I've also managed to miss most of the 1pm's because my lunch has to coincide with experiments. Finally, I was going to go to dancing (of some kind) with Katie and her friend tonight, but they were meeting at 7, and yeah, my experiment required "tweaking" to go =(.

This is a little discouraging because I did expect to miss social stuff this year and beyond -a "perk of the job" you might say. But I was looking forward to it. that and I'm starting to get sick of my project- overuse I guess. I'm looking forward to Saturday for an "admin day" where I can increase my organisational skills and hopefully keep a little more up to date.
And in between that there's celebration night/fete which I'm really looking forward to, and Chicken Parmigiana.

But why am I up. Well, after coming home at 8, and eating tea with the boys- (we are having some really late teas this week), I spent some relax time on the PC (yes games, but I figured after an 11 hour day I kinda deserved it, and Carmi wanted to use my laptop for her iPod). She brought it back at 9, and I was just about to sit down when Dan came round. We had a milo, a yarn and tried to microwave an egg. The egg dramatically exploded after a minute 20 which was better than previous efforts by Mr Joe at church. I then got into some random Japanese lollies that Greg (my 'little' bro sent me from his trip to Japan). I got into these grape gummi lollies which were real nice and had this funny artificial smell. I reworked my data from the real time PCR in excel. It's amazing what 2 weeks of head-smashing labour can do :P.
They actually look respectable now, although I'd like to redo some to make sure.

I also spent the night listening to Sonshine FM in Perth. Its the station that Rodney works on. It sounds warm over there (13 C at night!) and it's only about 9pm over there. It's quiet cool, and I'm enjoying the mix of Christian and secular music. Right now Savage Garden's playing. And while not a major fan, their music is quiet catchy.

Just started memorising verses. Again. I've started on Galatians 6 after one of our school of leaders lectures used those verses in relationship to leadership (I think, I wasn't exactly awake- I do know it was Phil Cotton and not Ian Brown)- Oh that's right, on journeying, which I'm a big fan of.

Right I better go. I've got another big day to face- might just sleep in a bit though :)

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Check it... 4 posts for all of September
What happened? Where did that month go? Why is it still so darn cold ? Why have I stayed up to play video games until 3 in the morning? Why am i getting addicted to running- apart from going faster each time :)

Who are all these people and how do they know so much about my life?

Sorry I've been extremely antisocial to all you in the blogosphere. I've been busy and this is actually the first time I've gotten some serious gaming in for ages. Not that it's a big thing (I enjoy winning I think), but it is nice every now and again. :)

Well, that and my Mac thankfully has some pretty average games. First time on the PC in how long...

Well, I'm off to bed cos its freezing in here. Actually it's about 10C or so, which is cold enough for spring.

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