Agggh!

What is with the human race’s obsession with purposely stressing ourselves out?!  We all live in these silly little worlds where these human created systems jerk values of things up and down, resulting in more work and more number fluctuation.  Systems like businesses, inflation, education scoring, housing rates.  I understand that the value of money has to change because it’s connected to this massive industrial web of chain reactions.  It’s just that these these systems seems incredibly unnatural.  Then again, I suppose if you think about nature’s systems, survival of the fittest, natural selection… perhaps it does bare more naturalistic similarities than I had first thought.  The whole shifting number pattern thing is just a bit different.

Where did this weird human developed system come from?  Who created it?  I guess at some stage someone must have said:

“Well, I have some beans, let’s sell them! Increasing the price by 10% during the winter to make up for the lack of stock. Oooh Yes!”

During our currency’s early days did it shift value?  Was it affected by the money thieving bast….ille that is inflation?  The most frequent cause of inflation in today’s time is oil and gasoline because of their implementation, their use, in just about bloody everything.  What was the first ‘oil’ and ‘gasoline’ when money was first invented that shifted everything around enough that they decided they were going to make money change in worth.  In the beginning, which resource was the major player in modifying our money system? Was it wood? Coal?

“Right, we’re going to change the value of money to make allowance for the fact that there’s a shortage of lumberjacks.”

Enough about the system, the important thing is it’s effecting the quality of all of our lives. Most people probably have it in their minds that when they’re finally able to catch up with their workload they’ll be able to have some time to themselves.  Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to work out this way, it’s a never ending workload that will never end until we die.  We have to break free for a bit, do things we like doing, be creative.  Finally get to clear your mind from all of this staleness.  I got home this afternoon and just had so much on my to-do list, things that schools and the education system like to throw down on us. *Yeah, try and guess that, it’s a hard one. Begins with ‘home’, ends with ‘work’* It seems that there’s just so little time to prepare anything at this moment in my life.  In media production my group is trying to leap ahead and get filming before we’ve finalized our costumes and scripts.  Planning for the assembly every fortnight seems to be non-existent.  Because the time schedule, just like the ‘NeWs!’ series I produced last year, makes it hard to frequently make creative content and keep everyone interested.  You’ve just finished one assembly and you’re already having to plan and think stuff up for the next the moment it’s over.  Then you sprinkle in homework from all of the subjects, add a online series called Vlog my Blog that is shown every week, screenplays to write for upcoming film competitions, DVD’s to finalize for last years school leavers, video to produce for the school’s triathlon, procrastination to take place and scripts to learn for live performances at the school’s open day…  It’s quite frankly all out bananas.

How crazy is your life at the moment? Lots going on, hardly any time to relax and take a break?  Yeah, watching YouTube and TV is nice, but only really when you have NOTHING AT ALL to do.  Because if you’re procrastinating when the TV show or video stops you’ll feel like rubbish, and click on another video or watch another TV show to take your mind off how rubbish you feel about procrastinating, therefore your system of procrastination repeats itself.

Let me know in the comments below if you’re stuck in a system.  A crazy restless system.

Good day!!
Just wanted to say hello. That is all.
Thank you, from Fester.
________________________________ 

No. No no no.

This is not the end of the post, I was only fooling you. Evil trickery I say. You must all hate me. But it occurs to me that you are still reading. So, continue to do so. You will be surprised… *evil laughter*.

Setting aside my brief display of my juvenile-self, which is coincidently a lead-on to what this post is about, I wanted to bring to people’s attention that a lot (but not all) of the world’s teenage populace is rapidly bringing about the new meaning of being “world-changers,” but in a negative way. I mean, what is becoming of Generation Z? 

For those who do not know, Generation Z are the people born from the year 1995 – 2010. We have the potential to change the world. Doesn’t necessarily mean that we will.

For starters, text talking through social media, and even face-to-face conversation!! For example, using unnecessary abbreviations such as “fml,” “ly,” etc. that most teens should be aware of…

“This is such a bad day for me. Fml.”

“Naww, I feel sorry for you. Ly.”

“Ly2.”

This is just an example of the sort of things you see on Facebook, Twitter etc. Are we really falling into a world full of educated, but literally frog-minded people? You got to a book store these days (ones that haven’t already closed down) or a library, and you will rarely see a teenager trying to find a book from their favourite series. You will mainly see adults, or young children looking at books. Though in a library, there are usually computers. On those computers, there usually are… yep, you got it. Young children and teenagers taking up all the computers, drooling over Facebook or internet games.

If we were to walk into a perfect classroom, we would see people sitting at their desks, writing away on their latest piece of writing and even some on a computer typing their story out because they may have a weakness with their writing. We would see people with their noses in a book and the teacher happily walking around the classroom, treating the students as independent learners. That is a good classroom.

Yet, when you walk into a typical high-school classroom, you might see a few on a computer playing games when the teacher has their back turned. You would see a group of kids having a private conversation, and a small minority of students actually trying to get their work done. Not to mention that the teacher would be watching the students like a hawk, trying to enforce the school policies…

“Tom, get off the games!!”
“Ben and Brendan, leave your socialising until recess!!”
“Sam, get on with your work. Stop putting graffiti through your books!”
“Class, I am waiting. We are going into your lunchtime now!”

A normal occurrence in classrooms these days right?

I know, I am possibly boring your pants off at the moment or maybe I am being a bit amusing… or sounding like a teacher. Possibly the third choice.

Ok, even by writing this post I admit, I do have a tendency to use computers and gaming consoles for my leisure time… I am a teenager. BUT, I do put school first…

Also, the adults that have talked to me in the past – mostly teachers and family – have told me that they are appalled at the way teenagers in particular use the English language. I really do sound like a teacher… Tyler, have you taken your meds today?

May I just add, that by you reading this post proves that you are capable of having the patience to get this far through a piece of writing. You are officially awesome!!

Until my next rant,

Fester.

Hello there! How’s it going people? Did you find many egg-shaped chocolate bars?

Of course this is in reference to the Easter that hopped along last Sunday, bringing with it sugar and fats that make dentists worldwide start packing their dental apocalypse survival kits.  Funnily enough, the backbone of this post is not to do with the really weird story line behind Easter…

Easter, and Christmas, are both rather sick.  They’re festivals and celebrations that have been distorted and warped due to the early Roman civilizations’ obsession with converting the masses to their religion.  Because of this Pagan celebrations were often adopted into the religion to help keep everyone happy.

This has resulted the Easter Bunny and Chocolate Eggs being caught up in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It also has resulted in misconception about Jesus’s birthday, there’s a lot of evidence stating that he wasn’t actually born on the 25th of December.  So, yes, that’s comforting to know that we are being taught something in school that isn’t actually confirmed.  Guess there’s a lot of that going on though.

But of course, as the title of this post clearly states, this post is not about some ludicrous confusing religious banter.  This is about Bilbies VS Rabbits.

I was told the other day that teachers in Australian schools are now pushing to teach about the Easter Bilby.  That’s right, no longer is the Easter Bunny king of the hole…. uh…. he’s being pushed aside by a native Australian animal.  Australian conservationists are arguing that our brilliant bilbies are becoming endangered due to the ruthless rabbits.  Ever since they were introduced to Australia, rabbits have been destroying the natural habitats of bilbies, and therefore the push to remove the Easter Bunny from the foil wrap. Rabbits are pests, and they’re breeding like… well, rabbits.

But you want to know my opinion about the whole Bilby VS Rabbits thing?

I personally don’t see what all the fuss is about, at the moment chocolate confectionery is working in favour of the bilbies.  When you buy a chocolate Easter Bunny you’re essentially promoting violence towards rabbits, you’re eating the rabbit, head first most often.  Every year millions of people all over the world are slaughtering millions of chocolate rabbits by the mouthful.  If anything it shows that we respect the bilby more, enough not to turn it into an edible symbol.

“Rabbits, yeah, pests, let’s make edible versions that we can crush into pieces with our teeth.”

It gives the whole family, even the little ones, a chance to fight rabbits in their own homes.  I would have thought by NOT eating chocolate bilbies we would be promoting ‘anti-bilby violence’ (As in… “Less Violence Towards Bilbies”).  Turns out the real reason they’re pushing to sell chocolate bilbies though is that a portion of the money from the purchase goes towards helping bilbies. Naww.

In that case, I’ll be definitely helping you eat bilbies.  I’ll be helping bilbies, by eating bilbies.

That’s logical.

Well hope you had a great Easter, promoting violence against rabbits and eggs… I wonder how chickens feel about us making chocolate reproductions of their unborn children for consumption.

Hmmm… anyhow hope you enjoyed this weeks post! See you again next week!

Ben,

Despite the fact this post’s title is written in a way probably susceptible to having ‘meaning,’ it’s actually very literal.  Vision as in actual sight, it’s not to do with what I believe the future will be like, though since we’re on the topic I think it will be very, very tech filled.

I started thinking about this awhile ago, to do with the vision we have as kids and how it develops as we get older.  This idea was reimbursed with ‘juice’ last week on the bus ride home when I completely lost my peripheral vision.  It’s back now, I can see, but it was incredibly strange, I’ve never experienced anything like it before.  The ironic thing is that on this very day we’d actually had an inspirational blind guitarist come by our school as a guest speaker. His name is Lorin Nicholson, and he told us about how he’d overcome the challenges of being blind, but I’m straying slightly off topic.

Back to my vision, not my admissions, vision! Eyesight!  I was sitting on the bus when I noticed that my vision had turned funny, you know how normally when you look at a bright light the image gets implanted into your eyes? At first I thought it was just that, I’d looked out the window, turned away then was waiting for my vision to come back.  But it didn’t, and I soon noticed that it was different, when I looked at someone I couldn’t see their face clearly, imagine pouring streaks of PVA glue across your computer monitor.  These weird patches in my eyesight that were gone.

Within a few minutes it changed even more, quickly my peripheral vision on the left side of my face completely vanished.  It didn’t go black like when you close your eyes, it was strange, it was just blurry beyond recognition.  I held my hand at the side of my face and waved it around and I couldn’t see it, it was the weirdest thing, I have never experienced anything like it before… or have I?

This is where the talk about childhood that I briefly mentioned earlier comes into it. “to do with the vision we have as kids and how it develops as we get older”

How well do you remember your childhood? Because the reason it may feel magic, different, is because the way you once experienced this world, is different to the way you experience it now.  A teacher at my school said that we fully develop our peripheral vision at around the age of 7… though I haven’t been able to clarify this information online, the resources I came across told another story… Anyhow, vision is one way we perceive our world, our vision develops from the moment we’re born, followed by our peripheral vision, then we can see rough shapes.  We see the world in a different light, if our vision was different we would experience this entire world completely differently.

If you’re sitting in a dark gloomy blue-coloured room, it will directly affect your experience, your emotions, completely differently than if you were sitting in a bright warm coloured room.  In fact one of the reasons I warm up the scene in ‘Vlog my Blog’ is to make it feel more comfortable, to make it a more happy experience… though some could argue that isn’t working.

Well, I’m tired.

I think I’m going to have a nap. With my eyes closed…

Ben,

Ever been to Port Arthur? You know, the massive all-male, maximum security prison on the Tasman Peninsula that closed back in 1877? Well, recently I got to go to Port Arthur on a school camp, with a mass of Grade 7s…

Anyway, the camp included a ghost tour of the Port Arthur historic site. I enthusiastically went along on the tour, hoping to see something out of the ordinary, even a slight glimpse of a figure (or ghost). But of course, you will have to find out later on, as if I tell you now it would destroy the “suspense” and excitement…

Our tour guide was dressed in a long, black trench coat which made him look quite scary when you looked from a distance. With only 3 lamps to light our way, we started to walk across the parade ground.

“Now now kids, just remember there are no things intentionally put in the buildings that will scare you, and there are no people dressed up to test your bravery!!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, of course I am sure! Never fear, your guide is here!”

Now, obviously we were all either 12-13 or 15-16 years old, so our “bravery” in these sorts of situations is quite high. Though on second thought, if you are petrified of the dark or paranormal “activity,” I suggest you stay well away from Port Arthur at night.

The guide told us stories of the weird things that happen there at night. He told us of things that the convicts endured, things that the guards did, even things that shouldn’t even be mentioned on this kind of tour!

We reached the house of the Man at Arms and his family. We went up to the door… and then…

“ARRGGHHH!!! RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY!!!”

“What is wrong young man?!”

“I shined my torch in the window of the house and saw a man looking straight back at me…”

Well maybe not, but it was a story that lead up to us entering the house. What a nightmare, the girls gave out a whimper at every creek, every brush of their shoulders etc. After a little story, we left…

Creeeeeekkk…

Wait, wait was that????

Now, I don’t want to spoil the tour for you if you have never been on one. Therefore, I will not tell you exactly what each story was about. Yeah, I know, you hate me now. I forgive you…

Anyway! Back to the story!

Walking across the hill, passing a house that is not far from the ruins of the hospital, and the guide tells us yet another story. It is pitch black now, and nearly everyone is huddling close to another person.

The guide tells us of a man and a girl who were staying in the top floor of the house we were facing. One night, the girl wakes her father up to tell him that she has heard a person walking around downstairs. The man grabs a torch, walks down the stairs and…

“Screeeeeeeeeeeechhhhhh!!!”

A possum, making a loud screeching noise that oddly enough sounded like a girl screaming. The whole lot of us yelled and huddled into one massive group, with the teachers trying to assure us that it was only a natural call from a native Australian animal… Good work guys! Bravo at making us feel better!!

After he finished the story, we go into the hospital. Once again, another story. I see nothing.

This continues for the majority of the tour. We go into the Penitentiary, (where we actually get to sit down) and we still see no paranormal beings anywhere in the vicinity… until we cross the bridge to the Parade Ground and face the “Isle of the Dead.” The guide begins to tell us about the Isle of the Dead, how 1100 people were buried there, and that a man used to be a grave-digger on the island.

Suddenly, I hear several people behind me whispering about something in the window of the hospital up on the hill. I look around and there, in the middle of the window, was a tall, white figure staring down at us. Silently.

After that, pretty much the whole group started to realise that there was actually a ghost clearly visible. I tell my friends about it, they look, get scared etc. We finish the tour and walk back to the visitor centre. Then, it started to move. It turned to its left, and walked away.

My friends all started to swear, and ran like chickens with their heads cut off. The figure slowly moved out of existence and vanished. Returning to the visitor centre, we all received a certificate stating that with great bravery and courage we had completed the tour. I then asked the guide whether he had seen the figure in the window, and he said that he had not.

So there is my freaky experience for you. Every tour is different though, so you can’t say I spoiled it for you!!!

Until my next post,

Fester.

Before we start I need to clarify a few things.  First off I will not make a habit of writing posts about love and companionship, this is the first on the blog and it’ll probably be the last.  Secondly, when I say that this is something that my friend did, it is actually something that my friend did, I am not trying to cover it up by playing the ‘friend’ card…

“Yeah I have this friend that set fire to his head and uhh, and I… he was just wondering if he needs any special medical attention or something.”

Now I’ll let you know now I don’t exactly know a whole lot about these sorts of things, the knowledge I have on these matters is purely imaginative and somewhat distorted by American television shows. But a better way to look at it is that I’ve never been ‘dumped’.

Anyhow! Onto the story!

So a friend of mine recently made a mistake when texting his girlfriend early in the morning. He’s not exactly awake even when he’s awake, so when he’s sleepy… let’s just say there could be an apocalyptic inferno completely burning the entire earth to a medium-rare human meatball and he would be none the wiser.  Him and his girlfriend were chatting away via text messages until she asked this question:

“On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you like me?”

Let’s just say the half-asleep Romeo decided to attempt a Romantic mathematical equation, by saying that he rated her 1000 out of 10.  Well, he wrote it incredibly wrong.  Instead of saying 1000 out of 10 he wrote that he rated her 10 out of 1000.  Nice one! That’s the way! Congratulations, you just insulted your girlfriend, good luck!

As you would expect there was a lot of silence.  Needless to say, his girlfriend didn’t want to talk to him much after that lovely …compliment.  Being the friend that I am, (heartless, conceited, a rightful prat) I gave him some advice at the end of the day, despite the fact I am single-handedly the last person you should ever attempt to obtain advice from, and if I do ever give you advice you should just nod, say thanks and then completely disregard everything that I just said.  My advice to him, to win back his Juliet, was to tell her this:

“I’m sorry, I was tired this morning because I hadn’t been awoken by the glistening sun. You are my sunrise.”

Yeah, well that relationship was long lived.

No, just joking, from what I can gather that corny line may have had some effect because they’re still together and exchanging, “Love You’s” publicly via Facebook timeline posts.  Either that or my friend did the right thing and just nodded and said thanks as I gave him the most ridiculous advice ever…

Can I just say while writing this post I became rather annoyed at the word ‘lose’.  I mean, we’re taught when we’re young that two ‘o’s make an low sound.  If I say “Ooh” and “Oh” they’re two completely different sounds, yet ‘Lose’ and ‘Loose’ don’t seem to work the same way.  Ooh well.

Another post next week, =)

Ben.