The Ramblings of Elyse

It has been awhile since my last post, over a year I know. I'm sure it hasn't bothered too many since I did declare I was never writing again. Just how life goes.

Though, I make bold declarations and I followed through somewhat, but every now and then my desire to write overrides many things, upto and including common sense.

However, I have a specific topic to write about today and as a result it made my title much easier to create, which a small but powerful win, if you are me and since quite frankly am me I grant a massive huzzah!

I have a fair few obsessive tendencies and one of these obsessive tendencies involves the Harry Potter Books and the Harry Potter movies namely that for each Harry Potter movie I have read all the books before going to see it. For each movie. I also read each book in the series when a new one came out, as a result I am quite familiar with them, but that is merely back-story, so the most recent has been released. I'm told it will make me angry as a purist of the books or namely as a Neville in the 7th book fan. So new movie means it is time for Elyse's re-read of the book. I have just finished the Prisoner of Azkaban, which I completely forgot that would not be resolved at all if it wasn't for Hermione, adding further proof on how Hermione is the actual hero of the Harry Potter books. Thus is comes to the point of time travel.

Time Travel in fiction, which is a stupid thing to write because Time Travel doesn't exist NOT in fiction, but whatever, Time travel is an interesting thing.
In Prisoner of Azkaban, Hermione and Harry use the Time Turner to go back three hours to save Sirius and Buckbeak.
However, it is established that when the first go through the time that the things that their future selves cause are happening then. So, technically they aren't changing anything but merely making sure what happened actually happened.
In the world of Harry Potter, they do not change the past. They make the past.
It can be easy to skip how McNair, who is the executioner of Buckbeak, throws down the axe into the wood in frustration up finding out that Buckbeak has escaped and can't fulfill his bloodlust for the day, but when it is first mentioned in the first go through time, Hermione hears the sound followed by Hagrid crying, which also happens in the second part of time, that the orders of the ministry have been fulfilled.
The bigger example of this is and the bigger example of the Time Travel Paradox is that Harry saves himself from the Dementors with his patronus. Harry of the first time sees himself, though he thinks it is father at the time before he passes out. Then when we get to future Harry when they are hiding, Harry is all excited that is going to see his dad until the crucial moment he remembers he looks like his dad and say himself.
So, basically with this,  Future Harry doesn't think of saving himself until he realises what he actually saw himself saving himself.
I actually deleted that sentence because it didn't look right, but it is.

Does this mean that it was always going to happen?
Can you actually change the past? The past by definition has already happened, that is what makes it the past but if the past has already happened because for the time traveler it is their present, but it is also the present for the present.

This is the problem with time travel!
You can't change the past because the past is the past and by changing something are you actually changing something or just make your past what it was in the first place or essentially what is meant to be?
Is time travel just a massive deus ex machina?
That time travel itself is what set into motion what?
But time travel it creates this feedback loop and that if you've already changed the past, you haven't changed it at all because it is what it already is.
And if you do change the past, then you have changed the future, and if you change it back far enough, you could wipe out your entire life and if you don't exist in the future then how can you exist in the past?
Or is it the moment that you change a single act you start a different reality and that for every decision each outcome creates a different reality and if you change the reality can you go back?
Which creates far more trouble for the time travel that goes into the future.

Then again, with Back to the Future and how the future changes. It has the side effects of once Marty McFly gets back, the people he knows are not the same people he know. Sure they have the same names and look the same, but they are not the same people.  Experience has a large influence on the type of people we are. People can change by the experiences they have had.
So, when the future does change, how are all the same people there?
There are ways of which things have changed, like his parents not getting together or having different kids because they got together at different times. What does that do to protagonist Marty?

Time Travel stories raise too many questions.
It is making my head hurt.
Much like a real feedback loop.

In case no one has ever noticed, I am deeply, deeply amused by the search terms from Google that helps people end up in my little neck of the internet.

This explains why I have a regular segment about it.

The thing with my search terms, it is either about hugs or about literal songs.
I didn't think my literal song post was that spectacular but it ends up with the most consistent hits.

However, the thing about the hugs?
What IS with that?

At what point should I be worried about this hug thing?
Are some kind of Christians gonna come after me when they notice that my hugs aren't appropriate?
Are some random people going to be all like "You're that girl that rants angrily about Spike and talks about hugs a lot" and then go to hug me.

Dear Fandom,

DON'T RANDOMLY HUG ME!!
If you need to approach me, do so with slow steady movements as not to startle me and cause injury.
If you'd like some tips about dealing with Elyse, please read this helpful information. 

All my love,
Elyse

Dear People I know and work with,

Please stop touching me.

Thanks,
Elyse

Yesterday, I was on a quest.

I had to find a book that I planned to give to a friend of mine, I had originally planned to buy it from the internet but discovered I could indeed buy it in Australia. No, that was wrong.

I discovered this when I walked into a bookshop and couldn't see it on the shelf so asked the very stupid question of "Hi, I'm looking for a book".

See, I know it's a stupid question, I was told afterwards that it's only when I don't follow it up with another statement about what book and the person serving me is completely immune to it. Due to the frequency that people do it.

The thing that made this story completely gold is well, the person serving me was hilarious and while I'm sure she thought I was a nutcase, she was amused by it rather than being scared.
I ask stupid questions, but I'm self aware of it.

The gold part of the story, I was looking for a book called "Pirate's Guide to Parenting", while wearing my "To Err is to Human, to Arr is to Pirate".

So, what did I wear while book shopping?
I don't have a photo...
I'm going to have to get a photo, aren't I?

Well, I won't because I'm lazy and in bed and lazy.
So loyal readers, I owe you one.

So there I was sitting at my desk looking at the internet on my phone. It was twitter... That's not actually blocked on my computer, so I just can't explain it.

But alas there it was, a post from the delightful Lexi, I'd link but you know, she constantly has stalker issues. Man, it was hard work getting on to that roster for my stalking Lex needs... oh... I just typed that.
umm.. hi!

So yeah, I was reading stuff from Lexi about her resisting the urge to pat the drug sniffing dog at the station.

Now, I've been wanting to write this post for awhile and that triggered my memory.

What's the etiquette for dogs?
My boss frequently brings in his dogs to the office. He has two chocolate brown poodles, one is like a tea cup so is tiny. They are both very, very cute.
I have no problem playing with said dogs because they are super cute and I know my boss.
Though, the other day while in fucking Maroubra, I saw someone walking their dog and it was a massive husky... A MASSIVE HUSKY! SO CUTE!
I just want to go and pat it and maybe steal it, but you know... I can generally resist that urge.

Then it comes to working dogs.
I don't think it's become apparent yet, but little dogs creep me out. Something about a dog fitting into a handbag is wrong. I totally just typed hangbad, which is hilarious and very wrong, but not the point.
Little dogs in handbags, what the hell world? What the hell!
So yeah, big dogs... Awesome!
Thus, seeing the workin' dogs?
Fricken awesome since guide dogs are generally Labradors and police dogs German Shepherds.... they have another name which takes out the word German, but I don't remember what.

There is a blind guy at the station in the morning sometimes and i see him with his guide dog. His dog never seems all happy and joyful, so I just want to pat it and play with it, but he is a working dog!

The worst case I ever had of wanting to play with a guide dog was when I was at mass one day helping out with music in Newcastle and there was a blind guy with a Black Lab sitting like directly in front of me. He'd like sit and laydown as well. Very cute.

Though, the drug sniffing dogs are the station are my favourite because German Shepherds! I think they are one of my favourite breeds of dogs.
So, obviously, my bag and I get sniffed and I pass, it's the whole drug free thing. This I almost feel should give me a pass to let me pat the dog, however, they are working and that would be weird.
I don't like it when people come into my place of work and just like stare at me. Sometimes I do get patted by my boss, but I imagine the same thing happens with the police dogs.
Man, that last part. Not a lie.

My rule when it comes to dogs is to resist the urge and unless they are in my general vicinity to leave them be. However, if some dog comes up to me all pat me! Give me attention, then all bets are off.

I think I might visit my brother's puppy...

In conclusion, I am going to have to spend more time at this website. LOLDogs... way better than lolcats.

That last post had no spellcheck through it...

How'd I go?

Yes, I don't believe in editting after posting. That's just how I roll.

The day of all Antioch days has come and gone. Yes, State Mass.

Long ago, we decided and I don't even know who is part of that we is, I think it is Adam, Lexi, Davey and myself, and long ago it was declared it wasn't a real Antioch event until I hurt myself.
Which is strange, coz Lexi hurts herself just as much and generally worse.

Though, different issue.
So yesterday was state mass and I ended up with some quality, quality injuries.

1. The infamous foot injury. This one I know how I got! So at Renew, I hurt my foot playing soccer barefoot. It hurt for a while. It eventually went away and I adjusted with a slight hobble and played fake drums left footed. So all throughout yesterday, there was lots of jumping around. A lot of it mainly being over things such as walls and what not. All of that combined to leave me with one seriously sore foot.

2. Overzealous clapping. I'm not a seasoned Antioch clapper. I can't handle the clapping needed and so never developed a resistence so that clapping causes damage.
This was also state mass; in many situations I am the inappropriate clapper. It's not always inappropriate, but at State Mass particular, I'm for the CELEBRATION aspect! So I start the clapping a lot. I can clap really loudly.
It's a skill and I've started claps at very strange situations. Reminds me of my school days starting clapping at assemblies for very strange reasons.
Half of Toonie, Dapto and Engadine were the backseat bandits. We were at back, creating the noise.
This lead to Elyse's watch and clapping leaving a small cut on my wrist. I don't know if it's a cut. I'd say cut, it's deeper then a graze. Let's stick with cut.
Though, cut on my wrist isn't a good thing to say. It's like a centimetre and not very deep. Photos available on request.

3. Graze on my leg. I came prepared this year and wore shorts purely for the fake fountain (more on that later!) and so as a result, I had no buffer zone for my stacking it. So, I stacked it a few times. I can't even remember, once was at Putney and I hurt my knee, but I think the actual graze came from Maroubra Beach after seeing the giant Rubick's Cube. The steps didn't go down to the beach, so there was climbing to get back up.

4. Out of all my injuries I've had, this is the most consistant... My infamous mysterious shoulder injury.
I hurt my shoulder in year 12... MYSTERIOUSLY! I just woke up with a sore shoulder one day and it got worse and worse as the days progressed. That should injury has never really gone away. It comes and goes and it normally goes quick enough for me not to have done anything in the 5 years since I've left school.
What happened yesterday?
So after the interviews in the Fake Hyde Park Fountain concluded, I put my shoes back on and while doing so, over balanced and fell backwards on to the grass landing on my shoulder. It hurt for a little bit and then I got over it. Or you know, then it didn't so I carried on with my life and then came this morning and now.
My shoulder really hurts and I can't really move it properly. 'tis no good. It's rare for my stacking it pain to last the day after.


So that is Elyse's injury wrap up.
Thus proving State Mass- real Antioch event.

It brings me to another point, if Elyse hurting herself makes it a real Antioch event, does that then mean the more seriously she hurts herself the better that Antioch event is?
If that is the case then Renews- The Live Cross to Christ/Best Renews Ever really was the best renew ever and to that I say boo-yeah James, Boo-yeah! *fist bump*

And if James isn't reading this. A little dead in side that my fist goes un-bumped.

This brings me to the most epic of stories.
I have two consistents in my Antioch career. One- State Mass. My first State Mass I was an Antiocher of 2 weeks and was mocked on the train by the Glenmore Park kids for being part of Rooty Hill but been going every year since and then two- attempting to throw someone in the fountain at Hyde Park since. The first victim was on my first State Mass and was Dana. Very appropriate, don't ya think?
I've since attempted to throw many, many people in since. A few people have tried throwing me. Good times.
Only one person has ever gone in and that bitch deserved it. Hi Davey!
Last year, it was only Cardboard Adam, but you know, that totally counts, since Psuedo Davey also almost got thrown in.

So, this year's state mass, no where near Hyde Park, so I did the next best thing. I brought my own.
My trip started with a journey to Franklins to try and find a bucket. Oh and I found a bucket... and also got glue, electrical tape and a permanent marker. I was going to get some kind of horse to stick in the middle but I couldn't find one. I was then going to get a platypus from the City but it was a stuffed toy, which everyone knows isn't appropriate for a fountain.

So I did it. I brought my own.
Now lots have people have been in the fountain. Including me. I conducted interviews from it. This interviews are on camera... Just not my camera. Most of the fountain pictures Adam has, so I should get those at some stage.

I was asked how many inanimate objects I have that represent other things. The answer is only one and it's technically none, but that explaination will come later. Cardboard Adam was created and owned by actual Adam and while, I bought and created Pseudo Davey, is was always going to actual Davey since I owed her a frypan.

Now, I was wondering what I was going to do with Fake Hyde Park Fountain and when I walked in my Mum asked me not only did I find a horse for it, but also made claims of the bucket.
This marks the only time my mother has ever supported me in my crazy endevours. I think I should be scared.
My Dad was true to form, especially when I asked him to stop at Franklins to buy said bucket.

The Fake Hyde Park Fountain was a hit and the photos are awesome.

Now comes the aftermath. Lots of photos on Facebook.
Good times.

'til '10 (prounced " Oh ten") State Mass...
Yay!

There is an epic debate that rages on the internet, Ninja vs Pirate?

To anyone that knows me, I'm pro-pirate. I'm very pro-pirate.

So, when it comes to the 19th of September, it is a glorious day. GLORIOUS!
This Saturday, I did intend spend the day dressed as a pirate... Apparently, I also looked like Peter Pan and Captain Feathersword.
I get that last comment a lot, I think it might be the fact I have a Captain Feathersword hat. Though, it is the only tri-point hat I've found. I'm talking real hat, some kind of material.
If I found a proper pirate hat it would be awesome!

Well, funnily enough, I have one. I have a Captain Sparrow pirate hat, complete with attached dreadlocks, which is cool. But it's weird. I have long hair that is apparently blonde (sigh...) which means it doesn't blend in easy and looks weird, the obvious solution is to cut off the hair, but then what would my parents say since it was a gift from them?
Funny story, my parents went to America last year and went to Disneyland in that trip. My three siblings got leather jackets and I got a pirate hat. Yeah, yeah.
That's not favouritism at all!
Well, the leather jackets were apparently on sale for ridiculously cheaply and didn't have my size, so thus, I got pirate hat, which is indeed awesome.
However, it's the hair attached. I don't know how I feel about it.

Once again, I was distracted in the middle of writing.
I need to stop doing that... which means I should write at home or the train or something.
My bad.

But in the spirit of all great events, there should be cake or pictures of cake... stolen from websites.
This is a link to Cake Wrecks, awesome site and this is the Pirate themed cakes and damn they are awesome.
I want one!

Wow, I kind of stuffed up that linkage action...

And yet, I'm not going to fix it, because that's not how I roll.

I don't remember 1989 and even I vaguely did I don't think a 2/3 year old would write it down much. But if I could, I'm sure I would.

Then game 1999, I reached my point of what happens next year?
This point more than likely actually happened in 2000 when I had to write the date down, and the all important question, how am I going to write it down?

And what am I going to call it?
2000 worked, we call it just that "Two thousand" and then '01,'02 etc etc and shortening the date of 2000 to to '00, I tend not to do that because it looks weird, but I don't often refer to things that happened in 2000 and if I do it is either 2000 or year 8, depending if it is all about me or if it's work/society related. Ok, more work related.

Which brings us to know, 2010. Yes, 2010, the logical progression is /10, obviously. Have ya written that yet?

I wrote it just today, Ep 1/2010... Or Ep 1/10.
Ep a tenth?
The First of October?

What the hell?

I'm sure I'll adjust to it, but nothing is going to stop me from referring to next year as "Oh Ten". Yes, so when I refer to '10 just imagine I'm say "Oh ten".
I can put that into a weird Dr Who thing, but let's not go there.

I'm hoping it sticks, I don't care if it doesn't, it's just what makes sense for me.

Now excuse me, I have a bus to catch...
*throws scarf around neck*

Factually I can't do that because it is my Dr Who Scarf and I'll attach a Tom Baker as the Doctor as well to see the scarf in action...

I haven't had time to actually look at that link, but it actually looks awesome.
MUST LOOK AT IT WHEN I GET HOME!

Hey there internet!
How be you?

I be fleeing the country in about 5 days now and a result of my fleeing the country I'm missing my birthday, Christmas and New Years' Eve as well as a month without my people so last night I held a function! An excellent function with lots of bier and schnitzel! Delicious!

But what did Adam and Davey decide to do?
Yes, they issue me with a photo challenge. Oh, not just them, they put the piece of paper around the table and everyone added some things. All before I got to look at it.
On behalf of that list.
Here is the list!

Enjoy!
I'm pondering how many I can get into the one photo.
 Now with photos... After the jump.