Are you out of your Vulcan mind?!

TV obsesions 'n things

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:23:33 GMT

I must draw everyone's attention to this. It is from the 70s/80s, from Australia and is called Patrol Boat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjZK4n6FZQg

Does it give everyone else the same vibes it gives me?

Aside from that, life is good. I'm home for the uni holidays, and some studying has happened but most of it is a bit of a productiveness! fail at the moment. I've been rewatching Doctor Who, which is a mite sad, but it's so pretty. I've also been watching a lot of Fringe, courtesy of a huge Fringe marathon Christina and I had, which was undeniably fun, but screwed with our brains a bit/a lot. I've also been watching Monarch of the Glen with Mum, which is hilarious.

Aside from that, life is all going well. I'm enjoying my courses at uni, although Biometrics and Commsci are boring. Biochem is interesting, and Chem is fun. The horses are all well, if a little insane.

And it is time for Outrageous Fortune.

You begin to realise....

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:13:05 GMT

...that you're a geek, when you look up, and above you is:

a) A Newton's Cradle
b) Three copies of both the Philosopher's Stone and the Chamber of Secrets, two of the Prisoner of Azkaban and the Goblet of Fire, and one each of the other three
c) Leather-bound copies of Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit sitting next to far too many biochemistry textbooks
d) Doctor Who DVDs
e) An HMAS Hammersley cap
f) A t-shirt with a picture of the TARDIS which announces "You never forget your first Doctor".

Plus behind you is a Torchwood poster, a Doctor Who poster, two Lord of the Rings posters and two X-Files posters. You are drinking tea from a Torchwood mug and contemplating watching more of the original Star Trek.

Gotta love the feeling of mild insanity.

Shannon is full of win.

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 08:15:59 GMT

I honestly never thought I'd say that but.....

Win.

“Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy.” - Frank Sinatra

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 01:22:34 GMT

Bourbon shots = Putting on Torchwood and totally not remembering doing so.

Oh, and ice on the inside of windows is....disturbing.

Those who do not study are only cattle dressed up in men's clothes. - Confucius

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:39:25 GMT

Study this morning lost out to Sea Patrol, who came in with another fun installment. I realised just how much I love Spider, and RO, and quite possibly also, Mike. Strangely enough, I'm now panicking about chemistry.

Also. Doctor Who currently rules my world.

"You've got to get obsessed and stay obsessed" - John Irving

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Tue, 26 May 2009 10:04:31 GMT

Current obsessions:

- Religious iconography, and with it, Angels and Demons. And Robert Langdon.
- Bones. Enough said.
- Sea Patrol
- Castle, because it is truly awesome, fun TV
- Star Trek and the uncomparable Captain Kirk
- Dr Who, with 10, aka David Tennant.
- Torchwood

Soon to be obsessions:

- Fringe
- Firefly

Recently past obsessions:

- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Angel
- Rush

*sigh*. My mental problems scare even me.

"The good life is inspired by love and guided by knowledge." - Betrand Russell

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Wed, 20 May 2009 04:17:46 GMT

Since, apparently, I have far too much time on my hands at the moment, I thought I'd re-start my LJ properly. Part of this is instead of fretting over an appropriate title for each post, I thought I'd go with a random quote which I snatched from Google, a la Criminal Minds.

I am an 18 year old uni student with very little in my life currently except my upcoming final exams. My life revolves almost totally around a bizarre mix of TV shows, two horses who I suspect are plotting to kill me behind my back and well...uni. Yes, I do realise that sounds sad. I'm currently at a cross-roads as to what I plan to do with my life after this semester, as I've almost totally decided that I don't want to be a vet (people + me = not so healthy), so I'm debating what other career path I might follow. Current options are a) chemistry, b) biochemistry and c) genetics. I'm liking the biochemistry option, I think, but we shall see...

My current icon (thanks to squirtandmilo for her inherent awesomeness) is the HMAS Hammersley, from Sea Patrol. I really need to find some TV shows which do NOT make me cry. Doctor Who made me cry with both Doomsday and Journey's End, while Bones with The End in the Beginning (small note: has anyone worked out a decent answer to what that means? I'm still completely baffled), then Sea Patrol with Catch and Release. I really need to find something which is happy and non-emotional.

And I really, really need to go grocery shopping and put out my recycling.

The End in the Beginning: My detailed analysis

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Fri, 15 May 2009 02:19:43 GMT

Before I start, how freaking cute is my userpic? I wants to snuggle them. That scene is going down in history as the point that my heart literally melted.

The End in the Beginning – An Over-analysis
AKA
Invertebrate Zoology is boring.

Under the assumption that everything which happened and all that was said was not random, these are my thoughts.

Voiceover analysis

“People say that you only live once, but people are as wrong about that as they are about everything. In the darkest moments before dawn, a woman returns to her bed. What life is she leading? Is it the same life she was leading half an hour ago? A day ago? A year ago? Who is this man? Do they lead single lives, or a single life shared?”

The last part is obviously about Booth, Brennan and their symbiotic relationship. The day/year could be a reference to perhaps Critic, then Wannabe/Pain. The comment about “only one life to live” could be a direct reference to the fact that this is AU – Brennan and Booth are technically living a second life.

“A storm approaches. It’s still over the horizon, but there’s lightening in the air. Are either of them aware of the gathering turbulence? Can they feel the crackle of electricity in the wind? Or are they only aware of the power they generate between themselves? The first hint of the storm is not a thunderclap, but a knock.”

On the first level, this could be directly correlated to the AU storyline. “A storm” was approaching, the death of the man in the nightclub and the corresponding ramifications, for both Booth and Brennan. However, it could also be a metaphor for the Booth/Brennan relationship, the storm approaching being them finally becoming a romantic couple, while the “electricity” could be another word for the chemistry that it shared between them, that us as viewers see, while the “power” could represent what they see between themselves, the comfort and friendship and partnership they have currently in real life.

It could also be a rather intense sexual metaphor, but lets not go there, shall we?

“Violent death, murder, it sends out shockwaves. The closer you are to it, the greater the shock.”

This could be analysed on two levels. On the first and possibly most basic, is about the case in the AU world. Brennan and Booth, unused to murder cases, are close to the case in point (being owners of the club) and hence are feeling the shockwaves emanating from it. The second could be a reference to Pain in the Heart and the Gormogon arc. Both Booth and Brennan were very close to that case, and hence would have felt the brunt of the shockwaves radiating from it.

“If you love someone, you open yourself up to suffering. That is the sad truth. Maybe they’ll break your heart, or you’ll break their heart and you’ll never be able to look at yourself the same way. Those are the risks.”

This could be about Booth and Brennan. She is ready to take that risk, to open herself, to him (metaphorically!) and to take the risk of a broken heart – because she loves him and is suffering because he is not there with her when she needs him.

It could also be another reference to Pain in the Heart/Gormogon. Brennan loved Zack almost like a son, and he broke her heart by being in leagues with Gormogon. She opened her heart to him, by allowing him into her family and he betrayed her.

“You see two people, they belong together, but nothing happens. The thought of losing so much control over personal happiness is unbearable, like wings. They have weight. We feel that weight on our backs, but they are a burden that lifts us. Burdens that allow us to fly.”

Personally, I think the first line is a bit of a shout-out to the B&B shippers. We’re waiting, Hart, not patiently either. However, it is also, quite obviously, about Brennan and Booth. Although Booth coming into her life changed her, she feels it has changed her for the better. Her love for Booth (and it is love!) has given her a burden to carry, the burden of losing control, of losing her happiness because of him, but that burden has allowed her to fly, it’s allowed her to become someone different, someone better than who she was previously. By allowing Booth in, and him allowing her in, they have become better people.

References to other episodes

Con Man in the Meth Lab – “They bust up and you finally get a shot at her. That’s what you want, right?”

Season 4 as a whole – “Kind of a cold fish”

Yanks in the UK – “I’m English, we don’t use guns, we head butt people”

Man in the Cell – “Anyone touch it?” “Zack”

Aliens/Hero – Max about the cellphones: “Big Brother always knows where you are”

Gormogon – “…to use the word ‘gnaw’ so aggressively”

Pain in the Heart/Gormogon – “Some people think I’m Gormogon, I’m not”

Woman in the Garden – “Angry gangbanger in an alley”

Man in the Wall – “I’ve been here before”

Gravedigger/Hero/Thomas Vega in Aliens – “You tell the Gravedigger, unless he’s willing to kill me, it’s over. Oh. One more thing. If anything happens to my wife, it’s you I’m coming after”

Hero in the Hold – “You helped us, now please let us help you”

Critic in the Cabernet – The pregnancy thing

Hero in the Hold/Beaver in the Otter – (About Jared) “He’s going to walk”

Aliens in a Spaceship – “I told him if he doesn’t leave us alone, I’d kill him”

Pain/The Perfect Pieces – “You’re the type of moron who goes to jail for a murder he didn’t commit”

Perfect Pieces – “So you two conspired to keep this big secret from us?”

Booth and Brennan metaphors

“Why is it so difficult for your husband to see the ways of the world?”
“Because he wants me to be proud of him”

Booth wants Brennan to be proud of him in real life. He wants her to think of him as a good man – regardless of the ‘ways of the world’. Brennan’s opinion of him matters more to him than he is probably willing to admit.

“A storm approaches. It’s still over the horizon, but there’s lightening in the air. Are tiehr of them aware of the gathering turbulence? Can they feel the electricity in the air? Or are they only aware of the power they generate between themselves?”

Discussed previously, but this also asks whether either Brennan or Booth is fully aware of the love between them. Are they only seeing the power, or do they see the sparks ready to ignite?

“We’ll discuss it – since we’re partners”

A direct reference to real life B&B, who are partners in almost every sense of the word.

“People know the best way to hurt him…”
“…Is to hurt you”

This is true of both AU B&B and Real B&B. People have used this against them in the past, most noticeably in Hero in the Hold where the Gravedigger took Booth, specifically because he/she knew that Brennan would do anything to get him back. If this is Booth’s coma dream, then it could lead to something deeper. His fear of stepping over his line (Man in the Cell) could be popping up again. Perhaps, deep down, he feels that if he does not take that step, he doesn’t risk her in that way and is using that as an excuse.

“You don’t see it because you don’t use your head. You believe in what you can feel.”

Jared, Booth’s alter-ego (at least in my world..) is telling Booth that he’s not seeing what is right in front of him. We know from previous episodes that Booth has almost an inferiority complex, shown noticeably in Con Man in the Meth Lab and Science in the Physicist. He, perhaps, feels that he is not worthy of her love because he isn’t a perfect guy, he’s battered and he’s bruised and he’s been through a lot. However, Jared is saying that he should rely on his head, he should see his relationship with Brennan for what it is, true love, as opposed to always feeling that he could never do right by her and therefore should not take that chance.

It could also be non-AU-Booth trying to tell him that what he’s feeling isn’t right or true, that this isn’t actually a real reality.

“That’s what they do – drive wedges.”
“It wouldn’t be irrational to think I was having an affair.”
“I’d feel it. If the energy was bad between the two of us. I’d know. Same that you would know I couldn’t murder someone.”
“I believe you would murder someone for me, and I believe you would lie so I wouldn’t have to carry that burden.”

Booth – real or AU – would kill for Brennan, but he wouldn’t murder, a distinction that Booth grasps, but perhaps Brennan doesn’t yet. However, Booth still relies on his gut, and his gut is telling him that she is faithful to him. He trusts in that more than his head (quite rightly, if his head is producing cartoon babies out of thin air) and he trusts in Brennan.

“You would kill for me, I know that (then there was an explanation of what happened, which I didn’t quite catch). You would never do that. Jared is different”
“My brother killed a man to save my wife. What are we going to do?”

Brennan directly compares Jared and Booth. Like in Con Man, Booth comes out as the better man. He is the man with morals, regardless of the situation. Booth is the Booth that she wants to be with, that she regards more highly, while Jared sacrificed himself (metaphorically) to save both Booth and Brennan, Booth from having to murder someone and Brennan from being hurt. There is a parallel here to Hero in the Hold, where he also sacrificed himself to save the pair.

“If you love someone, you open yourself up to suffering. That’s the sad truth. Maybe they’ll break your heart, maybe you’ll break their heart and you’ll never be able to look at yourself the same way. Those are the risks.”

As described above, this is Brennan thinking about her relationship with Booth. Although there are risks, and high stakes and everything to lose, it is worth it because it’s love.

“You see two people, they belong together but nothing happens. The thought of losing so much control over personal happiness is unbearable, like wings. They have weight. We feel that weight on our backs, but they are a burden that lifts us. Burdens that allow us to fly.”

As discussed above, a direct discussion about Brennan’s relationship with Booth from her point of view. She has decided that losing control, and taking that risk and stepping over that line is worth it, because in return, she receives Booth’s love and gives her love in return, and metaphorically, regardless of the burden it entails, it allows them both to fly.

Discussion about Booth’s character

Jared, to me, was a Booth (trust me, this gets confusing, I never thought I’d say it, but too many Booths!). Through the entire episode, he affects Booth’s mannerisms, such as the hands on the hips. He even dresses like Booth. I thought this was shown most prominently in the scene at the diner. Jared looked like Booth would, while Booth looked…like AU Booth, with what were quite possibly, the ugliest shoes in existence. Jared even wore Booth’s cocky belt buckle, which led me to believe that we aren’t seeing Jared and Booth, we’re seeing two halves of Booth.

Jared represents Booth as he sees himself, as a cop and as a person, while Booth is who Booth, subconsciously wants to be. He is a free agent, with Brennan on his arm, who has nothing to do with death or destruction. He is successful, well-liked and respected, while keeping his moral integrity.

“You don’t see it because you don’t use your head. You think everything you feel is true” / “You need to grow up”

Jared, ie Booth as he sees himself, feels that Booth-as-he-wants-to-be needs to grow up. Booth cannot be a totally free agent, as he wants to be. He is still tied down by his more rational side and the part of him who is an agent and a Ranger, regardless of how much he wants to free himself from it. However, with that side comes his wisdom and his rationality. However, in Jared, he is also seeing the parts of himself that he doesn’t like, the working for the Gravedigger, withholding evidence and he’s beginning to believe that what he is sees himself as isn’t really what he’s like.

“I believe you would murder someone for me. And I believe you would lie about it so I wouldn’t have to carry that burden.”

“You would kill for me, I know that……you would not do that. Jared is different”

Booth has stated before that he has killed, never murdered. I believe, and I believe he believes that he would kill for Brennan if he had to. However, I also believe that Booth is worried that he may murder to prevent anything happening to his family (be it Jared, Parker or his squints) and he doesn’t like the side of himself that he currently is as much as he originally thought.

“You have helped us. Now please let us help you.”

Brennan is speaking to Jared as if Jared was one half of Booth, the part of Booth that Booth himself sees. Brennan wants to help him find himself, and to be at peace with who he is, which is a mix of the man he believes himself to be, the cop, the protector and the man who would do anything and everything to protect the people he loves, and the man with morals, and with a good heart who values human life over everything, even after the things he has seen.

“You see two people, they belong together, but nothing happens. The thought of losing so much control over personal happiness is unbearable, like wings. They have weight. We feel that weight on our backs, but they are a burden that lifts us. Burdens that allow us to fly.”

This is Brennan, about her and (real) Booth from her point of view. She feels that her love for Booth is a burden which impacts on her in ways she hadn’t realised previously. Booth is a good man, and has allowed her to become a better version of herself. He has introduced her to the world at large, and he has convinced her to love again, and especially to love him.

Questions I'd like opinions on:

- Do you think there is signifiance to the jobs of the squints?
- Amnesia, proper amnesia, post-surgery confusion or anathaesia-induced amnesia?

Urg...umm...meltdown

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Fri, 08 May 2009 02:09:51 GMT

I'll try not to wreck this for people who haven't seen Critic in the Cabernet or the promo for The End in the Beginning but...last five minutes of Critic and corresponding EitB promo equals complete and utter meltdown.
There was so much I disliked in Critic, the whole...baby/Stewie/insemination/semen thing (did anyone else notice they really liked saying semen?) was just gah, but those last five minutes. I cried.
Oh, and Sea Patrol = Love.

Gah!

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:09:43 GMT

It's 11:08pm and I'm beating my head against my keyboard, trying not to think about either stats or physics...or chemistry...or English! I wish I could actually enjoy a book instead of thinking "Hmm...this is a possible Schol English text".

I graduated today.

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:58:11 GMT

I feel exceedingly old, but I graduated high school (college) today.

I won three Outstanding Achievement awards for Year 13 Chemistry, English and Mathematics with Statistics. I was also first in English, Stats and Chemistry, 1st= in Calculus and 2nd in Physics. I also won the Senior Science Award ($200 and a certificate), a trophy and $100 book vouchers for top Year 13 English student, my certificate for the Massey High Achievers scholarship ($3000!), an award for something for next year which was $500, $200 for top senior Maths student, plus...

The Horowhenua Scholarship, which is $700 a year, $2000 from Westpac and a medal and certificate for Dux of 2008.

I'm back

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:34:58 GMT

Squirt is scary. That is about all. Oh, and I'm finally penning the great novel, not. I'm having a shot at NaNoWriMo, which I think will last all of about 8 hours. It's currently 12:30am, and caffeine is bad for you.

So far these holidays....

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:27:34 GMT

I started my classics list, and I have read:

Children of Men by PD James, which is not technically a classic but it should be, it's immensely powerful and quite thought provoking, although basically nuts

Nineteen Eighty-four by George Orwell, which was truly screwed up although very interesting and a strange reflection of the world.

Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger, the book of sociopaths, nuff said.

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, I can see why it's a cult favourite, it was one of the funniest books I've read, full stop, even though it was read at 3am in Wellington Airport.

War of the Worlds by HG Wells, it gave me nightmares, scarily realistic even though it was written in 1850.

In My Father's Den, again not a classic but possibly a Kiwi one. Very very different from Under the Mountain, but an intense and interesting read.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Awwwwww! It appealed to my hopeless romantic side and although it took me an absolute age to get through it, I did rather enjoy it.

I'm currently part way through Moby Dick and Brave New World, which seems really rather strange. And yes, I am the most boring person alive ;)

My god it's been a while

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 09:19:18 GMT

Mainly because I'm a lazy ass with very little to talk about.

Tally's finally back in action after the horror winter we had with arthritis/back issues. He's happily jumping and galloping again, which is both thankful and a huge relief as I really didn't know if we'd reach that point again. Sparks is lame, the vets coming on Monday, she's been barefoot all winter, it's either arthritis or an abcess.

Had exams a few weeks ago, I did pretty horribly, mainly A's and M's which isn't great, but I'm passing everything. Go me. I'm trying to finish the most boring biology excitement, which I've had for um...months. I think my bio teacher has forgotten about it.

I'm a very boring soul!

Amazingly...I am alive

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Tue, 29 May 2007 10:26:45 GMT

Yes, I still am alive. Wayne knows this, as I said happy birthday to him on the wrong day. Sorry about that dude! However, that was actually Nikki's birthday, so happy birthday to both of you! Lor, yes, I will post your presemt, I just need to find the GG tape which is literally buried on my floor, possibly under three tonnes of study notes.

Exams were last week, and I did okay. I got Merits or Excellences in everything, aside from the Animal Behaviour/Plant Responses paper in Bio, where I got Achieved. Considering I barely studied, I was rather impressed. Especially with my bullshit English essays!

The horses are doing well, Tally is clipped and still in work. I'm going to ride him over the winter and try and get him going better. Sparks was going to be ridden occasionally but injured a ligament in her back/pelvis (Mum: "She sprained her ass!") so is out for a couple of months, much to her disgust.

I currently have friends at school (namely Holly!) which is scary and stunning. I also have a date for the ball in July, which is even scarier!

Lor

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Sun, 06 May 2007 06:42:47 GMT

Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to Laura, Happy birthday to you!!!!

Another year older, another year wiser, and I'll send your present + the GG episode soon. I truly enjoyed "watching" Veronica Mars with you ;)

Everyone else: *sigh*...I'm going to miss Gilmore Girls so much!

Ships, horses and life

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 00:42:08 GMT

I began watching One Tree Hill as Lor told me it was good. I trust Lor's opinion on such things, as she has now gotten me into an unbelievable number of shows. And coffee. Anyway, I fell in love with a ship very very quickly. They are Nathan and Haley, and I now have 15-20 ships on TV. Go me!

Life, well school finished, after a week with a gazillion tests and assessments. I didn't finish the Bio test (Animal Behaviour and Plant Responses) but no one else did either, so if I passed, well go me, but if I didn't, then I need to work a bit harder! I got Merit for the Algebra unit test, considering I was dead sure I'd failed, and spent half the exam scribbling out my answers and re-doing them, I did okay! I also got the highest mark in the year, so yay! I'll get Chem and Physics results back when I get back to school, but neither seemed that horrible. I guess I'll see!

Horses...well Tally is going brilliantly. He is a real champion of a little horse. He's also insanely cheeky, and has a great personality. I took him show-jumping yesterday, and he was very awesome. He also broke into the chillybin, and stole a drink bottle, half a slice of pizza and some watermelon before I caught him. What kind of horse eats ham and pineapple?!!!!!
The 90cm was 2 phase, which suck. He went clear in the first phase, but got too close to an oxer and dropped a rail in the second. In the 1m, which was call-back, he stopped at the first jump (blue and white with a filler) with a horrified look on his face, but second time he jumped it! I edited that bit out of the video!!! I then, after much persuasion from a friend on a 16.3hh TB (Tally's probably just over 14.2hh, between 14.2hh and a small 15hh) who looked like he could walk over 1.60m, I tried the 1.10m. It wasn't that successful, and Tally dropped a couple of rails. It was the biggest I'd jumped out, so it didn't really matter! I also fell off at the practise jump, after realising it was probably 1.20m, and I went "Um...no", so Tally moved around it, I landed on the foot of the jump stand, and Tally left and hid behind Duck. He was soo upset that I'd fallen off, I think he previous riders must've gotten angry with him :(

Sparky...well my sisters been riding her, because shes been home for the holidays, and wanted something to do. The first time, Sparks was angelic, nice outline, well-behaved, doing everything right. The second time, she was a demon, she refused to go into one corner, any canter resulted in bucking, and she shied a lot. I'm going to ride her today ;)!

I shall find video/pics fro SJ soon!

Happy days!

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 08:49:55 GMT

Mwhahahahaha I'm going to Tallypic-spam my LJ yet again,mainly for Jo's benefit. Also, coz Tally loves to be pic-spammed. Sparks is refusing to be photographed, and is in her "OMG a pretty shiny silver box thats going to eat me" mood. So all her photos involve a lot of green paddock where the horse "used" to be standing!

Tally is incredible. I adore him so so so so much!

We went to our first show last Sunday, which was Manakau Sports, to do the 80cm and 90cm show-jumping. He was a real dude, and apparently is utterly spoiled, as whenever he didn't get what he wanted, he kicked up the biggest fuss. That was seriously not my fault. I swear. He also stole my egg sandwich. Little furry bastard.
He jumped like a champ, and went clear in the 80cm, and knocked one rail in the 90cm coz I lost my reins (two sets! snaffle and curb, he's in a pelham for jumpies) and couldnt collect him in time. However, he won the 80cm :D And got a pretty blue ribbon!

He also got turned out naked for awhile, when the temp here skyrocketed to 35C. The hottest it's ever been is 36C, so 35C in AUTUMN is just insane. He got himself disgustingly dirty, as I hosed him off, then it rained. And he rolled.

He had dressage today, and looked very grey and pretty after me madly scrubbing and plaiting him last night in the dusk and gloom. I'm surprised he cleaned up as well as he did! His first test (Prelim 1.2) was alright, he wasn't being ultra-flexible as he was going too fast. The second test (Prelim 1.4) was better in my mind, aside from a really dodgy canter on the right rein, as I prodded him in the guts a bit hard coz he was trying to take a dump. Cue very very speedy canter, and very grumpy horse! I guess anything was better than the large flashy chestnut who psyched out and bucked his rider off when she asked for canter. He got 5th in P1.2 on 61.7%, and 4th in P1.4 on 60.4%, so he got a rosette for 4th :D It's pretty and green!

I was trying to shorten my reins!!!

Sparks is a champ too. I've been riding very infrequently, and paid the price when she took off on me today, which was actually very funny, as she was charging full speed down the paddock with me clinging on for dear life. She also did her first jumps in AGES, over a 20cm cross-rail, then a 60cm log, complete with full bucking fits and plunges. It had style! I'm aiming her for a 50cm show-jumping round at Otaki on Anzac Day.

Aside from that, lifes pretty static. School is okay, L3 Bio is absolutly awesome and I'm really enjoying it, Physics makes me want to beat myself in the head with the pretty machiney thingy that sits on the bench, apparently my entire Maths class "suck and are going to fail", Chem is great (Teacher is awesome!), History is well History, and English is just funny. My tutor teacher left for Brunei a couple of weeks ago, and I got an email today, saying everything was fine, and promising photos! He says theres monkeys in his back yard! I suggested posting me a couple over. Also, the school principal is resigning, so our new one is one of the greatest guys I've known, who is universally known as "Pethdawg". It will be interesting!

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 07:34:46 GMT

I haven't updated here in ages, and haven't even posted about one of the funnest weekends of all time, with Lor in Hamilton, so Lor, you get to share a post with another Tally/Sparky update!

I went to Auckland on the 2nd of March for the weekend, for a wedding, and very niftily managed to bus down to Hamilton to see Lor ( ). After arriving at Hamilton bus station/travel centre/thingo, several rather frantic texts were sent back and forward, before....we spyed each other, and ran madly towards each other and hugged. Twas very funny, and also very Gilmore Girls.
Wandering around Hamilton then commenced, after a visit to Erica. Then a visit to the Rocky Horror Picture Show statue, which got hugged. And random comments were thrown at us while we were busily hugging the statue. Visiting the supermarkets also happened then. Running around a supermarket pushing a trolley together really was very funny, especially when the other people began to give us weird looks, mainly because we seemed to have soft drink and brightly coloured ice cream in our trolley. Also, me falling over in the carpark while trying to run the trolley back to the trolley parks...that was rather funny too.
Choosing hair dye took us rather a while...and several stores later. My excitement over the plastic pretty red trolleys at the Warehouse was embarrasing. As was the rather dodgy clonking coming from the back of the car whenever it accelerated, decelerated or turned the corner. Later, it was realised that this was the drink bottles in the back. Dinner ended up being this delicious noodle stuff (with those real take-out boxes, just like on TV) which I don't think I actually made a dent in.
Tv also began, I lost track of what we watched, although I know Angel, Alias, Gilmore Girls, Criminal Minds and Stingers was all in there. I think "That Vision Thing" started us off. During this time, my hair was also dyed. And my head wrapped in plastic. And me transformed into something out of the X-Files. Rushing around the next morning...and fitting in some Home and Away, before I was sent on a bus home (after taking a photo of Lor with the undies and togs guy at the bus station)
Lor, thank you for such a fabbie time :) You must come down here some time, and I'll introduce you to the fun that is Levin.

The trials and tribulations of all things equine

My horsey life seems to be taking a turn for the better!

Firstly, Tally. Wow, I can't honestly believe he is actually "my" horse again. I don't think I ever got over loosing him the first time, and I'm so glad fate has seen to bring him back into my life. Each morning, I'm greeted with a very loud nicker him his paddock, and his gorgeous little grey head pops over the gate. This is followed by a slightly different nicker from across the arena, my dear Sparky always has to "win"!

I had a go at long-lining Tally, we both rather enjoyed it, except it proved how unfit I was!

Tally's schooling on the flat is coming along in leaps and bounds. Although he was always 'good" on the flat, he's becoming a lot more balanced, and settled, especially with circles and in canter. If he drops out of canter, or doesn't make a canter transition, he becomes exceedingly stressed and literally runs around. I just bridge my reins and sit in half seat until he settles, then I'll bring him back to walk, before proceeding in trot. I can't think of any way to counter him running off, as he does get very stressed (I'm guessing he was smacked when he did that when he was younger) and the episodes are becoming less and less :) His leg-yielding is improving, especially in trot. In walk he leads with his shoulder, I think because I ask with my hand a fraction before m leg. His lengthenng is absolutly FANTASTIC, and he'll stretch down really nicely, even in trot. I attempted canter and sort of lost control...My first dressage day is April 1st, doing two Prelim tests.

The other weekend, I took Tally to the beach for the first time. He was an absolute champ, and really enjoyed the space to gallop. I hadn't wanted to "open him out" at home due to the hard ground, but on the beach I could let him go! He definatly knows how to gallop out nicely, but he would come back into hand. I had his pelham on instead of his snaffle, so I could stop. He also jumped some logs very nicely! I was quite proud of some of his leaps!

Also, I attempted "real jumping" at home a few days ago. I began very low, 40cm-60cm cross-rails, coming in from trot, and worked up to 90cm spreads and uprights. Wow, he's a seriously powerful jumper, but he does come into hand quite nicely! I could sit his jumps this time :D

The Sparky update will be small this time, but she's doing well. During the storm on Thursday, she stood under a tree for nearly 12 hours, and so her front legs swelled. I was really worried at first, but once I convinced her to walk a bit (convinced...dragged by the mane and neckrug...) it began to go down, and once she was grazing normally, it had completly gone. Her lameness also dissapeared as the ground began to soften, and today I rode her for the first time! She was great, completly normal Sparks. 14 hands of hyperactive energy. Her shoulder-in to avoid to the leaf with fangs had some definate potential. As did the levade and capriole that were placed in the middle of a trot circle.

Sparks and Tally had their first proper nose-sniff today. They sniffed...Sparky put her ears back and grunted (?!!!)....then they both began grazing at the end of their leadropes. Mum commented "they're both rather self'absorbed"

Everything is well!!!!
[Unknown LJ tag]

Retaliate

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 08:34:33 GMT

This is mainly for because I know she wants to know all about Sexy McTally!!!
For those who are new to the saga of Tally, he is my new, a 15hh fleabitten grey 12 year old English Riding Pony/Welsh gelding. I got him a couple of weeks ago, after over a year of struggles with pretty much everything under the sun.

The wee man is settling in well, and is being awesome so far. He's exceedingly playful, to the point that I have to provide him with toys to keep him entertained. He currently has a ball, an old mollasses container with holes in it, which spit out pony nuts, and when he's very good, I attach an apple to a piece of string and he has to try and catch it.
Riding wise, he's fabby! I'm just doing basic flatwork with him at the moment, with the occasional bit of lengthen/shorten, and some leg yielding, as he does have a tendency to lock his neck and tank off instead of softening the whole time. Jumping shall come as the ground softens, as I dont want to risk his (slightly fragile) soundness by jumping on hard ground.

Grazing pony

Camera-shy horsey!

Showing himself off

Trying to catch his apple on a string

Finally, some ridden photos!

Dressage pony!!!

Me-me-thingy

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 04:44:44 GMT

pagman_rocks tagged me into doing this

Each player of this game starts off with 10 weird things/habits/little known facts about yourself. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 10 weird habits/things/little known facts as well as state this rule clearly. At the end you need to choose 10 people to be tagged and list their names. No tagbacks.

1. When I was 7, I wanted to be a boy, I even cut my hair really short
2. I hate cross-country running
3. I'm a closet romantic, I love romantic moments on TV or movies
4. I've been drunk twice
5. I'm allergic to sticky plasters
6. I've never seen Breakfast at Tiffany's, or any seasons of The X-Files
7. My hair was straight until the age of 12
8. My favourite movie of all time is the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
9. The first TV show I was ever into, was Alias
10. I love the Lord of the Dance soundtrack

Tagged people:
i_thnk_im_crazy
nik_noodlestingers_fan
i_like_soap
</div>mi_jo_jo
magika83</div>
</div></div></div>

School and other fun things

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 22:14:01 GMT

Lor, I was trying to compile a TV watching scheldule for what we're watching at the moment, please alter this so it's right!!

Monday

7:30 Sky1 - Crossing Jordan (re-run)
8:30 TV3 - Bones
8:30 TV2 - Desperate Housewives
9:30 TV2 - Men in Trees
9:30 TV3 - Heroes

Tuesday

8:30 TV2 - Ugly Betty
8:30 TV3 - House
8:30 Sky1 - Prison Break (re-run)
9:30 Sky 1 - Bones (re-run)
9:30 Prime - The L Word (re-run)
11:15 TV3 - Angel (re-runs I haven't seen)

Wednesday

8:30 TV1 - Cold Case
8:30 TV2 - Lost
8:30 TV3 - CSI: NY
9:30 TV2 - ER
9:30 TV3 - Prison Break

Thursday

8:30 TV1 - Criminal Minds
8:30 TV2 - Grey's Anatomy
8:30 Sky1 - CSI: NY (re-run)

Friday

8:30 TV2 - Supernatural
9:30 TV1 - Close to Home
10:40 TV2 - Smallville

Saturday

2:00 TV2 - Gilmore Girls (re-run)

Sunday

8:30 TV3 - CSI
9:30 TV3 - Jericho

In other news, tomorrow is my first proper day back at school. My timetable has been sorted, although I'm not sure if I really will be able to do it all. Now I'm doing level 2 Chemistry, Physics, English, History, Maths and Geography (only in my spare time!) and Level 3 Biology. Not sure about the L3 Bio. I haven't done L2. My sister had trouble with L3. However, it does mean I get to do Human Evolution a year early, and thats the one thing I'm interested in!!!
A certain gray horse will be arriving as soon as the hay is cut and baled. I honestly cannot wait, I'm so excited about it!!!

On the road again

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 06:51:17 GMT

Well technically, not again, I just liked the pop culture reference! (*feels very un-Brennan*)
I went to sit my learners yesterday. I was scared ass-less. I took the eye test. I failed, I couldn't read the left hand column! I could barely read the number of the line I was meant to be reading as it was on the left hand side.
I then had to see an optometrist, who said I was borderline for driving, but I passed. I apparently should get my eyes checked. I think I shall ignore that nice piece of information and continue on as I am.
I passed the theory test relatively easily, however I felt rather stupid as I had no idea what a LSZ was. Apparently its a limited speed zone, and you're meant to go 50 km/h. I have never seen one. I thought they meant magic mushrooms.
I CAN DRIVE!!!!!
Actually I can't, I tried and failed miserably, with some impressive bunny-hopping and forgetting to wear my seatbelt. Then nearly driving straight into the garage door
I CAN DRIVE!!!!!
In other news: I've had two hours sleep, and to add to my ships is "M&M" - Danny and Lindsay from CSI: NY.
Also, everyone should see Lor's Sexy Back video. It is the funniest thing since sliced bread, although I'm not sure what would've been amusing about sliced bread aside from the slices.

Eikon

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 07:25:36 GMT

Some of you may remember my sisters horse, Eikon, from previous posts. He was a 17 year old half Warmblood, half Thoroughbred by Wohler II. He specialised in dressage mainly because he was far too unco-ordinated to get all four feet off the ground at the same time. He had the worlds most impossible trot to sit to, but the loveliest smooth canter. He was always calm and sensible unless food was involved. He was kind to most things unless they got in the way of his food. The best way to his heart was through his stomach.
A couple of mornings ago, my mum woke me up in hysterical tears to tell me that during the night, Eikon had gone through his poly-tape fence, then attempted to jump into Sparky's paddock over a full wire fence. He had caught his back legs on it, and the vet thinks his aorta had burst as he did that. By the time anyone was awake he'd died.
However, my mum and I still had the job of telling Kay what had happened, as she hadn't woken up yet. I'm never ever doing anything like that again.
Eike is now buried beside the yards.
RIP

NCEA L1 results

horse21_nz@hotmail.com — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 06:31:43 GMT

Pagman, how did you do?!

Biology Level 1

90166 Describe the functioning of human digestive and skeletomuscular systems M
90176 Describe how humans respond to pathogens E
90178 Describe functioning of human circulatory, respiratory and excretory systems E

English Level 1
90054 Read, study and show understanding of extended written text(s) E
90055 Read, study and show understanding of a number of short written texts A
90056 View/listen to, study and show understanding of a visual or oral text E
90057 Read and show understanding of unfamiliar texts E

Geography Level 1
90202 Examine an extreme natural event and the human response E
90203 Examine population patterns, processes and issues M
90204 Examine resource use in a farming or mining context A
90205 Apply skills and ideas with direction in a geographic context M

History Level 1

90211 Interpret historical sources E
90212 Examine the perspectives of people in an historical setting E
90213 Describe an historical development, in an essay M
90214 Describe experiences that led to the shaping of the identity of New Zealanders E

Mathematics Level 1
90147 Use straightforward algebraic methods and solve equations M
90148 Sketch and interpret graphs A
90151 Solve straightforward number problems in context M
90152 Solve right-angled triangle problems M
90194 Determine probabilities A

Science Level 1

90188 Describe aspects of biology M
90189 Describe aspects of chemistry E
90191 Describe aspects of physics M

Counting Internals, I ended the year with 23 E's, 12 M's and 4 A's! I passed everything!

I probably should've done better in Geo, and Maths is obviously my weakest subject. However everything else was good!

I'm putting these two big moments recently as two posts, second one will be in another post.