Family Stuff

This is probably the ONLY photo my brother took on the night (COUGHpervertCOUGH)

This morning at six, we (the Sinclair’s), the Dunlops and the Ferriers (plus a bunch of random extras) set off on an epic expedition to climb the world’s highest mountain: Mount Warning.
That’s right. Be very afraid.

Tragically, the Sinclair-mobile experienced some troubles going up the hill before the start of the track, but we fought bravely on, overcoming the smoke that w

as pouring out of not only the bonnet but the air conditioning as well.

The Climb

Then we went up to the top. It was really muddy, but no challenge was too great.
[Insert Nutrigrain scream here]

We reached the summit quickly, after just 1:20, a world record time.

Best part about being at the top
There was a path at the top, leading from lookout to lookout, and at about head level a massive branch sticking out across the path. First someone who was with us walked into it (and blamed the branch for some odd reason). But then, some random guy came through the thing, and we told him to watch the branch. Of course he walked straight into it. And of course we all burst out laughing at him. Very funny.

Yesturday was my birthday. Yay, I’m seventeen.

I got (Dad, look! Bullet points just for you!!)

• three driving lessons (the first one is on April Fools Day, so I’m not 100% convinced it’s for real, but whatever.)
• an awesomely bright, stripy doona cover
• socks
• a really nice blue knit top
• running shorts
• running top
• Hairspray DVD
• earrings
• necklace
• gift voucher to the sports shop (which I just spent – plus about forty bucks – on Skins. Yay.)
• $30

Had a party. So never doing that again.

Went to the neighbours place for a BBQ.

Ooh and had 2x pavlovas/meringues.

Hee hee hee.

1. Understand what’s going on in Chemistry. It’s a long shot, but what the heck.

2. Be better at keeping in touch with all my Japanese friends. Let’s count… Misato, the Nishiie family, Ai, Natsumi, Yukko, Naoko, Chieko, Aya, Sota. Okay. I think I should also stop getting new penpals as I am clearly over my head here.

3. Read Sense and Sensibility. It’s been sitting on my bedside table for yonks.

4. Go on the Canberra trip. I’m already doing that, but you know, don’t kill myself before it rolls around.

5. Grow my nails. Stupid, but yeah.

6. Write on here more. I slacked off quite sensationally in 2007.

7. Get good at the whole driving thing, terrifying as it is.

8. Stop picking my nose. Ha ha, just seeing if you’re listening. (That was a joke by the way. I don’t actually pick my nose.)

9. Actually keep revising my Japanese vocab, instead of just telling my teacher I do. Another long shot, but still. I should.

10. Stop smoking. It seems like it’s everyone’s New Years Resolution and I’m feeling left out. The fact that I don’t actually smoke will just make it that little bit easier for me to succeed.

2007′s been a good year, I’ve decided. Not as spectacular as last year, maybe, but pretty good nonetheless. So. 2007 in summary.

Went away on a houseboat. Heaps of fun, but I kept randomly swaying as though we were still on the water for about a week after the trip had finished and we were back on dry land.

Got a job at Lenards, the local chicken shop. I think I have demonstrated a huge amount of growth. For instance: when I first started and I’d find a chicken head in the neck box, it would be a ten minute mission to get it out, involving about ten meters of paper towel and lot of suppressed shrieks of disgust. Now I can just chuck them in the bin. I’m very brave.

I played hockey again this year. Not very well, but still. It was fun.

Turned sweet sixteen and got a trip to Sydney with Mum. Very fun.

Played hockey for the school team. Almost scored my first ever goal (that one in the minkey’s carnival when I was about five years older than everyone doesn’t count) but there was a short corner a SPLIT second before I put the ball in. Actually if I’m honest, the whistle got blown just before I hit it in, but I hit it in anyway. It still counts!! Not really, but humour me please.

Climbed Mount Warning. Didn’t kill myself on the chain bit at the end. Very proud of that.

Went to a laser skirmish day with hockey. Played three or four games (about two or three hours) and only shot one person. Aimed a lot and died a lot. Had fun.

Volunteered at the Gold Coast Marathon with the Palm Beach Scouts (don’t tell anyone). Had a ridiculous amount of fun, but I jumped up and down so much that I couldn’t walk the next day. Kind of (okay, very) pathetic, since I didn’t even run. Yes, that’s me with the teased and coloured hair, T-shirt over the jumper and plastic crocs with long football socks which I very stylishly wore over the top of my jeans. Hey, fashion comes first.

Went roller blading of all things. Hilarious fun. Should do stupid, totally random stuff like that more often.

Hosted a Japanese student, once again.

Used as slave labour selling ugg boots at the Bangalow, Lennox Heads and Byron Bay markets. Although if I hadn’t done that I would never have seen the awe-inspiring sight of a full on bikie in leather and with tatts and piercings all over the place buying a pink pair of uggboots for himself. Also I wouldn’t have got any more of those incredible nachos.

I got my learners license. Did not crash or lose my learners license, despite my dad’s attempts to get me breath tested. Also, I think my mum’s coming around, cause she was always too scared to take me driving. She’s just told me a story about a friend’s daughter she used to take driving, who had a tendency to try and go up busy, inner-city Hobart (so really not that busy at all) one way streets. So she really has nothing to worry about. The Gold Coast doesn’t have any one way streets.

Spent two nights and three days home alone. During this time I realised that if I don’t want to get freaked out at night, animated Disney films are excellent. Also that it’s strangely lonely without smelly ones (and Mum of course) around.

Did Leadership and Business Week at school. My team kicked butt. Yes, we are fabulous.

Did the Salt 5km run!! So proud. Came first in my age group. Yes, I am a legend. (I’m getting rather good at the self-praise thing, if I do say so myself.)

Went for school captain at school. Screwed up the interview magnificently, due to my complete inability (somewhat surprisingly) to tell people how good I am and why I’d make a good school captain. However, I didn’t make an idiot of myself on the full school assembly when I had to do my speech, so I’m not too worried.

Went to Gympie for the Heart of Gold International Film Festival. Very pleased that my favourite film won the whole thing. Discovered that Gympie is very hot.

Went to Academic Awards night. Usually it’s the boringest thing ever, but it was made interesting because I was sitting with two exchange students and a friend who went to Japan for three months, after coming with me and everyone for the tour. After about an hour, it was me and the German guy, who was explaining to me the entire German education system and was completely outraged that the people who win all the massive plaques and trophies, the “special award” ones, have to give them back to the school. Quite hilarious.

Did the Noosa Marathon 10kmn run leg in 1:11:19!!!!! I’m very proud. Smelt pretty bad by the end, but you get that. Ooh, and here’s a photo of me looking athletic. Actually, can’t find that one, so here’s me and Jack (my little bro, who did the bike leg – Dad did the swim) in the transition area, with all the bikes in the background.

Attended the Sports Awards night just cause I could, since I’d never won an award for that before. Since I got the Mixed Hockey award, they put me on the boys list for the rehersal. I wore a dress especially for the actual night, so noone’d think I was a guy. Also I voiced my outrage to anyone who’d listen, even though they put me on the right list for the night.

Started going to the local youth group two weeks before it broke up for the holidays and started wishing I’d gone a lot earlier.

Went to the Salk Oval Rotary Carols By Candlelight. Left and walked home up the hill in preference to waiting half an hour for dad to pick us up, it was that bad.

Well, that turned out pretty long. So yeah… I’ve had a really good year.

Oh yeah. My friend Mitchell Stevens is going to Scotland for a gap year next year. That makes it sound really far away, even though he’s leaving on the third. So yeah. Very jealous and currently trying to convince Mum that I should do that when I finish year twelve. She’s not going for it as yet. Will continue to bug her.

Anyway… Happy New Year!!

Due to an overwhelming lack of anything more interesting to write, I’m going to do another self- test / about me thingy-me-bobs.

Name uh… duh

Age 16 years, 8 months and 26 days or 200 months and 26 days or 6026 days.

Grade Just finished grade eleven. Really don’t want to be in year twelve, cause that means I have to come up with something to do after I finish. And I don’t want to do that. Primarily cause I have no idea.

Favourite Movie The Producers, The Day After Tomorrow. I kinda like natural disasters. Go figure.

Least Favourite Movie Gallipoli. We watched it in Soc Ed in year nine and it was without a doubt the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen. I don’t think I’d be very well suited to the whole war thing. I think I’d be much better at sitting at home knitting socks or something.

Favourite Subject Modern History is so much fun. We argue about everything, from the War in Iraq (our actual topic) to does money equal happiness to Operator Please. The topics are so interesting too, despite our remarkable ability to get sidetracked and spend the entire lesson yelling at each other about whatever comes to mind. Also Japanese, despite the fact that we’ve got a composite class with the year tens, which kind of sucks, cause we only have half the time with Mrs Govindasamy. But still.

Favourite Food Chocolate icecream, butter chicken and chicken pasta bake. Not together though.

Least Favourite Food Mince. Ewk.

Favourite TV Shows The Chasers War on Everything, House and Summer Heights High. Yay.

Favourite Colour (these questions are getting lamer and lamer) yellow, orange… happy sunny colours. Trust me, that makes sense. Sort of.

Favourite Song O-Zone, Dragostea Din Tei. It’s slightly odd, but I love it, it cracks me up. Practically the theme song to my first trip to Japan. Also Arigatou, by SMAP. Theme to the second trip. Both make me laugh. Just fun. Is it odd that I prefer to listen to songs in foreign languages?? Though if you’d seen five Japanese guys dancing around in identical tight shiny red jumpsuits on the TV, with your forty-something year old host mum dancing around the room doing the exact same dance as the guys on the screen, you’d feel the same. Probably.

Favourite Book Bugger. Can’t think of anything. Yeesh, this is pathetic. It’s not like any of these questions are a huge surprise, since I WROTE THEM.

Well then. Toodaloo.

Okay, so maybe I have been excessively lazy and haven’t written anything on here in ages.

But whatever.

These holidays have been really good. Yesterday was the Gold Coast Marathon and my brothers Scout group had one of the drink stations. Since Jack was doing the 10km run, Mum and I helped at the drink station. Can I just say that this involved me getting up at the ungodly hour of 4.30? Yeah. Half past four. AM.

It was worth it though. Because there was a prize for the best drink station, we went all out. Our theme was the Aussie colours, green and gold, since the crew shirt we got given was a yellow-orange colour. Everyone had the colours on and then got their hair sprayed or wore one of the Aussie afros we’d got. Mum and I both teased our hair into pigtails and sprayed one half green and the other half yellow and I got my face painted in the same colours. Although our hair looked awesome, I’m not sure it was the brightest idea I’ve ever had, since it took me ten minutes in the shower (far more than the 4 minutes they’re always going on about), half a bottle of conditioner and twenty minutes of solid brushing to get all the gunk out. And now this morning at half past ten, I’m sitting in front of the computer in my dressing gown with my hair all done up in a bun, absolutely brimming with this leave in for ages conditioner stuff, in an attempt to return my hair to its usual texture.

Also at the moment I am struggling to walk normally, as my legs, upper arms and stomach are all so sore. Also my voice is half gone. Turns out this is what happens when you jump up and down for two and a half hours, waving streamers and yelling encouragement at people. After we’d put all the water out that is. There was a man in the race, who was apparently the Japanese equivalent of Oprah, running with a camera crew. He was filming some sort of comedy thing, so he’d stop all the time for massages and stuff. He was the very last person to pass us, so we made a guard of honour thing and he ran through. It was so funny.

The rest of my day was much less exciting. I was so exhausted by the time we got home that I lay on the couch for the rest of the afternoon, watching The DaVinci Code and playing Burnout with my brother on the PS2.

Eurgh. I’m going to wash this gunk out of my hair. I can feel bits sliding down the back of my neck.

Hellooooo

I haven’t written anything here in ages. So, what’s been happening?

My uncle came to stay for a couple of weeks (he left last Thursday) and we all went camping at Mt Warning and climbed the mountain and everything. I’ve reached the conclusion that Captain Cook was a rather pessimistic sort of fellow – cases in point: Mt Warning, Point Danger. No sign here of Point Pleasant. Loser. Cause the view from Mt Warning is so beautiful. It was a really fun climb too, the chain bit was scary, but still really, really fun. Cause, as anyone who’s climbed it would tell you, it’s a really steep rockface.

What else? Mum and I went to see All Saints’ “Grease” production weekend before last, with my friend from there. Gosh it was good. Watching it, you wouldn’t have thought it was a school production, it was THAT good.

Ummmmmmm…

Gosh it’s sad that I can’t think of anything that’s happened lately. I have been working on my ginormous assignment about whether or not the German people were responsible for the actions of the Nazis. One thing for sure: Hitler was a psychopath. Seriously, the dude was a fruitloop. And everyone loved him. Truly bizarre. I’m not sure if that means that all the Germans were idiots, or if he was just a genius. Ha ha. Genius fruitloop. Ahem. Serious now.

Not sure if I’ve mentioned this here before, but we all went down to the Anzac day dawn service at Currumbin Beach. There were ten thousand people there, all along that street that runs parrallel to the beach, as far as you could see. We were directly in front of the speakers podium thingy, but couldn’t see anything, seeing as there were big trees between us and them. My brother Jack was one of the air cadets who marched in (me and Mum couldn’t actually tell which one was him, they all look the same in their uniforms, but we told him we saw him) and stood at attention the entire thing. He was also one of the many cadets to faint during the service, from lack of movement. I think it’s pretty scary that two ambulances had to get through during the hour, maybe less that we were there for. Although like Mum said, there were lots of old people gathered together for an emotional day.

At eight o’clock in the morning, there was a beach performance by Powderfinger, which was really cool. They were trying to get the youth involved in the Anzac Day festivities, if you can even call it that, but most of my friends who went agreed that they should have had it at like six or seven in the morning, so that we didn’t all have to stake out our spots on the beach for three hours after the dawn service, cause the traffic was so bad you couldn’t leave and then come back. But whatever, once they got there it was good. Although I was getting really annoyed with the girl who got up there before it started and tried to get us all enthusiastic. Apparently contained enthusiasm was not acceptable. I neglected to scream hysterically on principle.

Although the songs were really good. I like that new one, Lost and Running. It’s cool.

See ya.

This is getting to be quite a foreign idea:

I am NOT going to make a list this post. And it’s true, I’m not.

Over the weekend, my family, my cousins and a couple of other families went down the Tweed River on a houseboat. Well, two houseboats actually. There were a lot of us.

First night (Friday night) we stopped near Fingal, in the nicest spot ever. Turned out we were parked smack- dab in the middle of the section of river you weren’t allowed to anchor in, but whatever, it was nice. A couple of the families had speedboats along with them, so we got to do doughnutting, water skiing and wake boarding.
I only tried the doughnut and wake boarding. We went on the doughnut heaps, that was really awesome, because one of them had two doughnuts going at once, so you’d be there bashing into each other and everything. And I probably should mention that even though I spent ages trying to stand up on the wake board, I didn’t actually manage. It was really fun trying though.

So that was fun.

I can’t think of anything else that’s been happening (give me a break, I’ve only been back since yesterday morning.)

Bye.