Mood: Frustration, with a hint of apprehension, and two tablespoons of self-loathing.
Currently listening to: It Can't Rain All The Time - Jane Siberry

First, lets get the obvious out of the way.

Went to uni with some half-assed excuse to my tutor as to why my assignment is so late. Can't remember what i said exactly, but i'm not sure if she bought it. Or rather, she bought it a little too well, and now i have an appointment with the Monash counsellor next week *sigh*.

Yep, i think they're classifying me as a 'problem child/student', or as Ms Shirley Bassey would say, "...it's all just a little bit of history repeating." Great song btw.

Heh. Looks like Abe's prediction is going to be proven correct, and all i can say to that is how thankful i am that he didn't take it up as a bet (fool!)... ;p

Nice to see that the Marketing Faculty cares though - they actually call me (or my mother) if i don't turn up for my tutorial! And tutorial attendance isn't even compulsory for this subject... Now ain't that something? ;)

Anyhow, pretty much stayed at home for the rest of the day which doesn't really allow me to have anything else to write about (unless you want to listen to more erratic, psychotic and semi-delusional ramblings of mine. Thought not. ;p). Isolation is really quite becoming of me i think, and i'm starting to enjoy the quiet more. Also becoming quite the night owl these days (or should i say more so?) with a dark, silent house for company, and my favourite 'smoking balcony' which overlooks KL in all its glory, and upon which i take great delight in seeing the sunrise appear or listen to the morning prayers. Talk about an atmosphere that's conducive to brooding on all manner of subjects! ;)

On another note i'm really slacking off on the gym thing and my smoking habit has ballooned in the last five days to about one and a half to two pack per day. Thank God the cigarettes here are cheap because in Australia i would've pretty much drained out my bank account within two weeks just satiating a nicotine habit this pronounced... *urgh* Starting to feel the effects of it as well in the form of some mild chest pains and the like. Better quit soon methinks. :o

Finally got to see the pictures which my father took in Armenia. Most of the pictures are of the capital, Yerevan, and i've got to admit that it looks pretty inviting! The streets look amazingly pristine with nary a beggar in sight, the buildings are all in good repair, sidewalk cafes line the streets, exotic restaurants present menus made up of a wide variety of Western cuisine, nightclubs as well as trendy bars light up the night sky, and the spring weather looks simply fabulous (and not to mention warm)! Its like a scene straight out of either Copenhagen or the older, more beautiful parts of Melbourne - except for the cars of course, almost all of which are either the local ZILs or spanking new BMWs (yup, its an ex-Soviet state all right). And the countryside! Its like a hiker's dream come true, with tall green meandering hills providing a wonderful contrast to the wide wind tussled grassy plains that make up the valleys... Hmm, and from what my father has told me, everyone seems genuinely friendly enough around there with quite a few being able to speak English (or should i say American?) thanks in no small part to the American University, or the fact that quite a few have returned or are visiting from the US.

Not what i was expecting from a place with 50% of the population in poverty and an appalling GDP to boot. And the National Geographic article made the whole place seem so, well, despondent and not to mention grey. Were they wrong? Have things changed faster than i imagined? Is the economy growing THAT fast? Perhaps there are other places other than the capital (which, granted, holds one third of the population and caters to most of the returning diaspora) where life is harder or more in line with the international media and reports which i have seen? Places like Nagorno-Karabakh? Or is it all just an extensive and well-planned State maskirovka?

Only one way to find out, eh? ;)

Hmmm... yes, i think this post has gone on long enough.

I should be working.