Instead of going to uni and practising for the aural exam, I decided to go underwear shopping. I wouldn't have had time to get to the Con anyway, or so I told myself. The traffic was bad, Bert was too riveting, it took me longer than anticipated to find a clean pair of tights. I forgot to eat lunch, so ate handfuls of biscuits from the kitchen at work instead. They had Caramel Crowns today. Nice, but they certainly aren't Wheelies.

Nicholas called on the way home and told me where the bookstore was, so I unloaded the random bits of stuff that I had collected throughout the day and raced back out the door. I knocked on the door of the wrong bookstore, peering through the window into the darkened shop, wondering if they were all hiding in a back room laughing at me. Of course it was the wrong store, I realised, when I stumbled across the right one, which looked exactly as it should. It's a wonderful bookstore, like a little maze with lots of isolated corners where one could hide. I smoked a cigarette with Nicholas. It tasted hideous and hurt my throat and gave me a headspin.

I went home rather early, not being in a particularly social mood, and having to study tomorrow. Ben and I watched a documentary about Dark Side of the Moon...Ben observed that the vocal harmonies in that type of 70s rock contribute greatly to its overall cheesiness. Which made me wonder why they perhaps didn't pay quite so much attention to the vocal harmonies as they did to the guitar chords that they used. One of them was discussing in detail the lovely chords that he had selected with care for the guitar, yet the vocal harmonies are almost barbershop-style, successive triads. Mostly homophonic, boring texture-wise. But then again, they were saying that the complexity of their music perhaps allowed them to get away with very simple lyrics. So maybe the simple vocal harmonies are intended to mirror the lyrics in that way. Or maybe I should go listen to the whole album before I start shooting my mouth off.

Ben downloaded a Game Boy emulator with Yoshi's Cookie. A game made for me. Now I am sure to fail all of my exams.

I don't update this thing for a month and, when I return, Blogger looks all strange and different. That's what I get for being a hermit.

I feel as though I should have much to report, but there really isn't a lot to say. I have been working away, reading and researching and essay-writing like a good little musicologist. Handed in my major essay project/heap of drivel on Monday, and have not been able to bring myself to open a book since, despite the fact that I have exams next week. Ah well. I am planning to swing by the Con this morning before work and do some practice for the aural exam. It's doubtful that I will be able to get hold of a copy of the practice exam though, as there is only one copy on closed reserve, and I can imagine that things might get a little competitive at this late stage.

In other news:
1. HAIR. I have sparkling new hair. The top half has been re-blonded, the fringe snipped into a half pixie-half pinup girl type arrangement. I love it so much that it has been difficult to tear myself away from reflective surfaces. Once the mysterious cluster of Mount Vesuvius-lookalike pimples on my chin clears up(I'm sure it's quitting-smoking-related- body ridding itself of toxins etc), I might actually look half decent.

2. BISCUITS. I have discovered a new and exciting brand of biscuit. Vanessa already knows all about them as I sent her a very long email about them earlier this week. They are known as Wheelies, and come in boxes, each containing 12 small packets of 4 biscuits. The biscuits themselves are like a slightly smaller version of an Oreo, but with most delightful flavours...there's vanilla, chocolate/vanilla, choc/orange (mmmm!) and CHOC/MINT (MMMMM!!!) Indescribably delightful, and they even come in little foil packets that are reminiscent of aeroplane afternoon teas. Go and buy yourself a box.

3. COFFEE. I have run out of stovetop coffee and have been forced to drink instant this morning. It's quite nasty. I didn't realise how much of a coffee snob I have become.

4. SMOKING. I still have not smoked. However, over the past week, my cravings have returned with a vengance. It's much like those naff Nicorette ads with the men in ugly cigarette suits, waiting around every corner. I've suffered remarkably few ill effects from being a quitter. I was expecting to pack on the kilos and become a depressed, comfort-eating Norm, but this has yet to happen. Perhaps it is yet to come.

5. RUNNING LATE. Gosh, is that the time? Must go and get dressed whilst watching Good Morning Australia, if I'm going to at least pretend that I made an effort to go to uni and study today. I love Bert Newton, he is so comfortingly upbeat.