Lyvvie’s Neighborhood

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More intellectualising of the Twilight 'phenomenum'

http://blogs.smh.com.au/lifestyle/fea...

With the Twilight books hogging the top end of best seller lists all year and the second instalment of the film franchise, New Moon, breaking box office records around the world, it's fair to say the saga of Edward Cullen and Bella Swann's unlikely romance is this year's defining cultural phenomenon.

I actually had a book seller trying to tell me the other week that Twilight was a modern interpretation of Wuthering Heights. This was in the context of a conversation about why I didn't think these books were really ideal reading for my 11 year old niece (although I wouldn't try and discourage her from reading them - just wanted some ideas for other books that might appeal but have a bit more literary merit, eg, something like Margaret Mahy's The Changover which I have blogged about previously and which Madame Smartypants Bookseller had never even heard of). Anyway, I am sure we will see plenty more Masters theses (is this the plural of thesis?) on this phenomenum before the Next Big Thing comes along.

The Twilight Saga Collection

Stephenie Meyer

The creatures that you meet ...

Yes, I know I have been AWOL for quite a while - and I can't really guarantee that I will be back to posting regularly anytime soon. In the meantime, here are a couple of photos of some close encounters of the bushwalking kind (from last weekend when my son and I went for an early morning walk before the rest of the bushwalking hordes started scaring everything into hiding).

As well as these creatures, we also saw a swamp wallaby but it was too far away to photograph. I had to get the lizards identified later - they are lace monitors (also known as tree goannas). The education officer from the park also said we were very lucky to see the echidna as they are notoriously shy. I have only ever seen echidnas in the wild three times in my life and twice have been while walking with my son.

Hey it's my birthday today :)

majjy
Sep 23, 2009
3 comments

I don't know why I put a smiley face there, I'm not happy about having to say I'm 32 now, but life has always got better with age so I'm not gonna dwell on it. And people still think I'm mid twenties, so that's kinda good.

I'm changing departments at work soon. From exploration to resource geology. Even though I was in exploration I never got to plan any drillholes (to find gold) or implement my own drill program. I implemented other people's drill program. But despite that, my boss still thought I was the only one in my office who was ready to go on to the project geo stage and take on a lot more responsibility. Which is good!

However, the opportunity came up to work in resource, which is the best career path for someone who wants to work in the city one day (after I have kids). My job in resource geology is nearly all computer based. The only part that's not is logging (documenting) the core that comes out of the drillholes (a long cylinder of rock) and we identify the rock types and veins and faults that have the gold in them. We enter the information into a computer database program and it all goes into one central database.

Then we bring all the drillholes up on a computer screen in a special 3D program that we use and we interpret the geology as a whole from all the drillholes (which means we make 3D shapes of where the different rock types are). We identify where the gold it (it's always in faults and veins here, so you have to match them up across the drillholes) and then we do a statistical analysis on the data, followed by a block model which is comprised of hundreds or thousands of cubes (kinda like lego), and then we estimate the grade of gold in each block by taking an average of the grade of the hits we got in our drillholes which are in the same vein or fault. All the blocks that aren't in the veins and faults we modelled earlier are waste (ie. no gold in them) and when we mine it all we throw away the waste and only process the rocks that are part of the veins that we model in the computer.

I tried to explain that in layperson's terms.. did it make sense?

Anyway, I've been doing this kind of work already for the past year in exploration but I've been working on open pit resources. From now on I'll be doing underground models, and the pressure will be on, because I'll be modelling stuff that is going to be mined as soon as I've finished. It will be good to be able to see if my models come out right when they mine the stuff. I haven't got any underground experience yet so it will be good to work on the underground side of things, too, without having to spend all my days underground. For my first two 9 day swings in resource I will have to tag along with underground people the whole time to get to know what they do down there, but that will go quick. It's pretty safe underground, but there is still always a chance for bad things to happen down there, so I'm not keen on being down there too much. Plus all the equipment you have to wear is really heavy and the air is humid and not so fresh (despite the ventilation) and it's dark! I get a bit claustrophobic down there. I'll take photos and post them for you to see what it's like.

Jason gave me a webcam for my birthday which I am setting up right now. He also gave me a voucher to get a manicure and pedicure, which is something I've never had before! There is some other stuff he ordered off the internet which is arriving today, apparently. Hey, I took a photo with the webcam. It's awesome! Well, apparently vox can't accept it. Oh well. I need to have a shower and wash my hair anyway. Gotta go!

The friendly neighbourhood book fairies

I have recently joined a book club at my local library. I have yet to attend a meeting but have been reading books on the list in preparation. The first one I was able to get my hands on was this one:

Lucky Jim (Penguin Modern Classics)

Kingsley Amis

The normal print copy was out on loan but I was lucky enough to find a copy in the Large Print section (which is mostly patronised by the library's older borrowers). According to a librarian friend, this generation of borrowers like to write little notes to themselves (and to others?) in the books that they borrow - partly as a memory jogger in case they can't remember reading a particular book and perhaps also as a warning to their fellow citizens. The warning in the back of Lucky Jim was quite succinct and to the point and just said "silly book" in large old lady handwriting. My husband thought it might have been her speaking notes for her book club.

I am glad I didn't heed this review though as I am finding the book hilarious. The titular character (a young academic) is sooo negative and lethargic that I feel I know him well from working in the public service. I keep telling my husband he should read it too.

What I am reading now

A Child's Book of True Crime: A Novel

Chloe Hooper

Very interesting book! I like the Australian cover better though, ie, features some of the bushland creatures who narrate some of the story. Quite a bizarre touch but strangely effective. Apparently it was nominated for the Orange Prize when it was published.

People keep giving me free stuff!

It all started a free months ago when an old school friend sent me a message on facebook asking if I would like a free family pass to the Australian Wildlife Park. We went and had a fantastic day. Since then, I seem to be getting freebies all over the place. During the school holidays, the Big Issue seller near my work gave me a free family pass to go and see the Woolly Mammoth exhibition at the Australian Museum. I took the kids into that and went buy and introduced them to the guy who gave us the tickets so they could thank him. For those who don't know, the Big Issue is sold by people who are homeless or otherwise down on their luck. I think one of this guy's other customers had given him the tickets but it was still very nice of him to give them to us. I think he was pleased that the kids were so happy about it. I have also been given several packets of Lebanese chewing gum by the young guy working in the Lebanese bakery near our old place (he is actually the nephew of a friend of mine but I don't think he knows that) and the guy in the convenience store near my work keeps give me special discounts on things I buy from there. I am not sure what is going on but I am certainly not complaining!

The creatures you meet

Spotted in a backyard only a few streets away from us (I didn't want to get too close in case I scared it away):

Wallaby sighting

Here is my son on another of our jaunts around the neighbourhood:

bushwalkingnearhome.jpg

I have been trying to find a Joey Scouts group nearby so we can get more involved in outdoor activities such as hiking and camping. We did find a good one a few suburbs away but it is just too far to go on a weeknight. It is a pity as the leader there is a scientist who organises a lot of science based activities for the kids (right up my son's alley). I have one more closer group to check out this week or next week so I am hoping that will be just as good.

Maybe I am old and jaded ...

but this just seems wrong to me:

eventheeggsaresmiling.jpg

They are not even free range but merely cage free eggs (husband bought them). Not sure if this is supposed to send some calming message about the happiness of the laying hens. Pretty unsubtle, if so.

Engrish.com

http://www.engrish.com/

Yeah, yeah. It is all very funny to chortle about people making mistakes with their English. Kind of a misplaced criticism though when you think about how few English speakers actually bother to learn any other language.

2 comments

List of books that groups such as PABBIS want withdrawn from school libraries in the US

Bad books list

http://www.sibbap.org/

Some of the material in these K-12 school books is extremely controversial and many people consider it objectionable or inappropriate for children. The content you are about to view contains adult material that may not be appropriate for all users. Before viewing this page you must read and agree to the following: You are an adult (18 years or older) and have read and understand this warning.You understand that the material may involve language, content and themes of an adult, objectionable or controversial nature. IN NO EVENT WILL PABBIS BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY DAMAGES OF ANY KIND resulting from viewing or any other use of this material.

8 comments

Oh and apparently PABBIS stands for Parents Against Bad Books in Schools. Some good books on this list. Something else that I notice about this list is that it seems to include a lot of what is termed 'multicultural fiction' in the US including important writers such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Chinua Achebe etc etc. It doesn't include the most unsuitable books I read as a 14yo which were The Flowers in the Attic series. Books like this are much more likely to be read by the average 14yo as they are written in such a sensationalist and simplistic style. I would be extremely impressed with any 14yo who wanted to read Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. This is set as a Year 11 text in Australia and you should hear the moans and groans of the students forced to read it as it is quite a difficult book. I notice Clockwork Orange is also missing. I think the film of this was previously banned in the UK although the book has been studied as a Year 10 text in Australia. No Lolita either!