# Maybe this will help



## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I'm not great shakes at keeping journals on paper. Maybe this one will work out better. Even if nobody reads it, it will be nice to write things down, I suppose.

What's happening today? Well, it's Wednesday the 14th here in Australia, and I am allegedly writing my property law assignment (clearly I'm writing this instead). It is pretty interesting - it's about adverse possession (squatter's rights) and the policy considerations behind it, and whether it is still a good idea in a system of land registration. I don't think it is. Back when land wasn't registered, it had a lot more use, but these days it just doesn't seem fair. 

In just under an hour I have to leave for a tutorial on Jane Austen at uni. I love the course, love JA (except for Emma) and I love my tutor, so it should be good. 

This evening I've got jujitsu. I went back last week for the first time in 11 months after some glandular fever and procrastination. Unfortunately, my first night back was a fitness test, and I didn't perform too well. It involves seeing how reps of a certain exercise you can do in a minute. In this case, we had to try push-ups (26), sit-ups (23), squats (3) and over-unders, where you leapfrog over your partner then commando crawl back through their legs. I did one over-under, then my burning limbs simply refused to lift me again. I've never experienced muscle fatigue quite like it. Then we did a lot of boxing, which is also exhausting. 
By the time we got to actual jujitsu techniques, I was in agony. Unfortunately, my sparring partner is a good 6 foot tall (I'm 5' 10") and 90+kg. I'm 70. I simply couldn't get him off the ground to throw him - most of the time, I fell over too.

Here's hoping tonight is less pain, more gain.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Blergh, drank an iced coffee a bit too quickly there. Feel sick. 

Time to play Batman: Arkham City! I've finished the main story mode on easy. This time I am going through on normal, but trying to solve all the side missions and Riddler challenges along the way. More points = earlier upgrades, and far less time just being bored zipping tediously around after the game. I've done the Advanced Augmented Reality Training (so annoying!) and answered all of Zsaz's calls (also annoying) but I need another upgrade (Freeze Blast) before I can take him down.
Also having fun reading two Batman comics lent to me by a friend: War Crimes and Dark Victory.

Happy little geek = me.


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

> Time to play Batman: Arkham City!


Oooh! I want that game so bad! 

Nothing makes me happier than that little bit of Lovecraft crossover in Batman. 

Geeks. We are numerous.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

GET THE GAME. It is massively frustrating and much harder than AA first time around, but I'm loving it the second time. There are too many Riddler trophies though. If you care about acheivements you will spend more time trying to get all 400 of them than you will playing the game.


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

> If you care about acheivements you will spend more time trying to get all 400 of them than you will playing the game.


I'm one of those people who -have- to complete every single challenge, easter egg hunt and miniquest before I kill off the last boss. 

I just finished FFXII (yes, I'm a bit behind the times..) and was wondering what to do next - and now I know! Cheers! :lol:


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Tip: if you want to finish all the acheivements before the final boss, you need to do it before the Wonder Tower mission. After that, you are given a time limit to get to the next boss fight. You can do most of them....argh, I can't say that without spoilers. Let me know how you do so I can tell you. 

Le sigh. Didn't make it to jujitsu last night after all, because the sickness turned into dizziness and shakiness as well. No idea what that's about. Not looking forward to essays today and work tonight as for some reason I didn't get to sleep until after 0130. And it's raining...maybe I just ought to wuss out of uni altogether today and focus on essays instead...


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, I slept better last night, though I'm still somewhat exhausted this morning. Work was relatively stress-less, mostly because our two worst children were absent. I had to buy bread from their mother this morning (she works at a bakery), which was somewhat awkward.

Picked up 14 books on Oscar Wilde so I can write my research essay...so many books. And our furniture arrived for the front room! Yay!


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Phew...I had to work yesterday for two hours, but got through that. Didn't get any study done, though.
I got heaps of study done today (finished week 5 reading for Property and got some of LDM done). Hopefully I can finish that tomorrow and work on my assignments. 

I am currently grabbing as many Catwoman trophies as possible before I carry on with the main mission, though I'm not sure of the point since I have now utilised all available upgrades. I really want to get the Nightwing DLC...

We have the pond, so hopefully I will be able to set it up soon, work permitting! 

I'm re-reading the Reason for God, by Tim Keller. It is such a good book on the main philosophical objections to Christianity (intolerance, hell, suffering, brainwashing etc). I love it and I think anyone who has ever been interested in or had objections to Christianity should read it.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, last night I finished Batman: Arkham City's main storyline on normal. Now I'm running round trying to finish it 100% - challenges, trophies, the lot. 

Today I managed to finish all of Week 5 reading for Property and Litigation, but I forgot to go to my chiropracter appointment. I called and apologised and they let me rebook for midday. I shall take them a balloon flower. 

This afternoon I shall clean my fish (again...can't wait for the bigger tank so I only have to clean once a week!) and the boys, and work on an essay. Which one? No idea.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, I didn't get around to cleaning my fish yesterday, but I did it today. Last night at CDAS I got talked into (not difficult) buying a pair of male gardneri killies, Titus and Andronicus. The whole club is curious to see how they go with my sorority. 

If things are still going well next month and I have the big tank, I will ask the guy who bred them if I can purchase some females and make killi babies.  I'll be giving my crystal red shrimp to a friend (they simply aren't thriving in my tank) so I'll have a spare tank to use for raising killi fry. 
Various websites are telling me that it is bad to have two males in a tank and that they can terrorise fish like guppies. The breeder assured me they'd be fine in a standard community though. This is goign to be very interesting.

I have seen Titus this morning during my water change, but no sign of Andronicus so far. Titus hasn't coloured up yet, so I think the bettas think he is a kind of Endler (he does look like an Endler girl at the moment). He's pretty shy and is still hiding, so I'm hoping Andronicus is doing the same. The back half of the tank is covered in clingfilm to stop jumping and the front half is blocked by the light, so hopefully he won't just leap out.

He should look something like this: http://www.freshwater-tropical-fish-care.com/gardneri-killifish.html eventually. 

Hmm, chiropractor appointment today, an English lecture I may or may not go to, not sure, and an English tutorial I have to. Jujitsu tonight. I hope I feel well enough to go this week - I'm still feeling pretty pukey. It may have been dehydration though. I'm desperately trying to drink 2 litres a day of water now to combat that, but it isn't helping much yet.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Urgh, still sick, no jujitsu, no uni today and hopefully no work tonight (I have called my boss but he hasn't got back to me). Nevertheless, week 6 reading for Property is done.

One of my killis (no idea which one at this stage...don't know if one is dead or what) is gradually becoming less shy and ate some breakfast this morning. He later ventured across the front of the tank, briefly. None of the girls have shown the least bit of interest in him (they are really self-absorbed) but he flinches when an ember tetra goes near him, so getting him comfortable around my huge betta ladies could be a long time in coming. 

I have officially got all the Riddler secrets, challenges etc on Batman. I just need to finish Acts of Violence and the campaigns, then try New Plus Mode...exciting stuff. 

I'm keen to do some drawing, I think.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Found a new thread to stalk!


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Lol, I'm glad I'm stalkable. 

Both Titus and Andronicus have started to come out for mealtimes now, which absolutely thrilled me (I was getting so worried)! I love watching new fish.  It also gave me a chance to note how to tell them apart. Titus is maybe a centimetre bigger, and both halves of his tail and dorsal and anal fins are yellow. Andronicus's anal fin and the bottom of his tail are blue. Titus in particular is beginning to colour up really nicely. 
Tip to anyone putting these fish in a community tank: they will hide. My planting is dense enough that I could not see Andronicus for the first two days at all, even during a water change and a plant trim. 

Well, today I feel a bit brighter, so hopefully I will have a better time of it and be able to go to work. My poor sister didn't have much fun covering for me last night. It sounded a bit hectic...

I shall attempt to finish Week 6 of litigation today, though that could be interesting as there appear to be two week 6's in the course outline. Well done, course convenor.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Felt fine this morning, absolutely crashed this afternoon. Blergh.  Still, I got to lie in bed for two hours watching my fishies. I am totally in love with my new killies! Unfortunately, it looks like Medea has a couple of tumours. 

I've finished the Reason for God and I'm reading all the C S Lewis works, starting with Mere Christianity. I also must start the Hunger Games and finish the Wheel of Time books.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Hunger Games movie comes out today!  It's supposed to be true to the book as the author wrote the screen-play. I've read the whole series and the last book, Mockingjay, is one of my favourite books. 

I read some of the first Wheel of Time book and found it too flowery. :/


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Yeah, I was horribly bored by it at first, but it got better. The characters are really annoying and the plot drags a lot in the later books (the first ones are pretty good, though), but he's made such a complete world that it's easy to get sucked into it. 

I'm not sure when the HG movies come out here...relatively soon, I think. I won't go and see them, though. Partially because I want to read the book first, and partially because I hate being seen as liking something because it is a fad (I know that's vain of me). I read Twilight before it was cool and liked the books well enough, but I refused to go and see the movies because I'd hate to be mistaken for a Twihard. 

Last night Andronicus was really late in coming out for dinner and had me a bit worried, but he showed up in the end. This morning, he was first out and Titus didn't show up at all. I'm sure he'll rock up during the day, though. I think I need to do another water change today. 

I did a dry-bath for Hyde (had him on my lap and gently scrubbed and combed his dirty patches) and cleaned his tail. He feels so soft now, and looks really lovely, but he's starting to get buck's grease again. I need to clean Willow, too, because he has a lot of buck's grease and his fur does not feel great. 

I need to wash my hair, too. 

My sister made some Disney princesses out of balloons last night. I taught her how to make Tinkerbell and she experimented from there. They are really cool! I reckon between us we can make them even better.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Just tested my water for hardnes and pH. 

pH = 6.8ish (floating somewhere between 7 and 6.6)
GH = 17.9 ppm (very soft)
KH = 53.7 ppm (verysoft - soft)

If anyone knows what fish would thrive in this water, let me know.  I'd love to keep species in future that are perfect for this chemistry.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Sleepy sleepy sleepy. I think I shall go to bed instead of studying. 2:30 pm is a totally acceptable time to sleep.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

OW. Smacked my ankle on my parents' desk. I'd better have a darn good bruise to show for all this pain!


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Went over to a friend's house to watch Community and play Risk Legacy. I didn't end up playing because I was late, but I caught the tail end of the game. Unfortunately, since there is a monkey in Community named after another character's bosom (Annie's Boobs) my boyfriend decided to name his city in a similar fashion, but using my name. I cannot play that game now, it is way too awkward.

Thought of the day:
Historians have said time and time again that the four main gospels were written just 40-80 years after Jesus' death, and Acts was written between 15 and 30 years after Jesus' death, when eyewitnesses (named in these books!) were still around to contradict them. Scholars have actually found pieces of the originals and translated directly from them. The Bible we have today would hardly be unrecognisable to a person from that era (assuming they could read it). 
Alexander the Great's earliest history was written several centuries after his death. Any eyewitnesses were long dead. 

So why is the Bible considered by so many to be less historically accurate? I do not understand.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Went into uni today. Was nearly killed by a senile driver, but had a good meeting with my lecturer to explain what on earth a literary review was and how I should write it. This is what I get for choosing the hard assignment.

On the way back I stopped in at the RSPCA and fell in love with the three little rats there, most especially with a 2-year-old black hooded called Tooey. I picked him up and he licked my face in such a friendly manner.  I want him to come and live with my old boys Jekyll and Hyde, and the other two 9-month-olds to come and live with my younger boys. 
Tooey belonged to a man who one day left him with his mother and went off on holiday, then never came back to collect him.
The little ones were bought from a petshop, then the owner decided he didn't want them. He was keeping them in a horrible cramped little plastic birdcage.  

I know I could look after all three of them - I have the cage space, it wouldn't be any extra cleaning since I clean every day, my vet bills per session, not per rat, and they wouldn't take much extra food. I also cuddle and exercise them all together. It would be easy - I just have to convince my parents.
At the very least I think I may be able to persuade them to let me get Tooey. The little ones could be harder. All three of them have been in the RSPCA more than 2 months, though, which is a large portion of a rat's life...

My mum also put an outright ban on me breeding killis in my bedroom.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Oh, I want those ratties! Can't stop thinking about them. 

Hyde's bumblefoot looked terrible last night, poor little man. I cleaned it and put cortizone cream on it, and did the same to a scab on his lovely belly (no idea how he got that). Despite all his aches and pains and general disability, he is still the loveliest, sweetest, happiest rat.  I just have to pick him up and he'll start foofing away at me and bruxing and boggling, like he's saying, "I love you too, mum." 

Started my literary review on The Importance of Being Earnest today, arguing that it wasn't just a nonsensical romp (although it was partially, at least). Time for a lunch break, now, though.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, I appear to have caught my sister's cold. Not fun, because it involves a sore throat...one of my least favourite cold systems. Give me a runny nose any day! At least you can blow those. 

Halfway through my Oscar Wilde essay, but now my brain has packed it in for the day. I don't think I'll go to my tutorial later (we get two absences for free) because I don't think my little head can handle it. 

Found some tasty looking recipes I might cook for the family this weekend on the Vitasoy website.

Still want the rats.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, I can't get the two little boys, but I can get the older rat.  This makes me super happy - I didn't actually ask, either, just dropped copious hints, so my wonderful sympathetic (to the rat, not me) parents told me this afternoon that I could pick him up on Saturday. 
I'm sad I can't get the 2 little ones, but their need is not quite as great. At 9 months they still have plenty of chance of being adopted, and they are in a cage together so they are recieving rat socialisation as well as human. The older boy is in his cage alone. 

I really hope someone gives the young ones a home soon, though. 2 months is such a long time out of a rat's life to be spending in a shelter, however loving it is.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I brought home my new rat today! He seems like a Darcy (as in Mr, from Pride and Prejudice), but we aren't sure yet. He's not used to living with other rats so he's acting a bit wierd around Jekyll and Hyde. Hopefully he'll settle down, because I have to go out babysitting. 

Hyde has to have surgery on his foot.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, after having Darcy, Jekyll and Hyde on my lap all morning and a good portion of the afternoon, I think Darcy has finally realised that the other boys aren't going to eat him. It must be scary for him, though - he is barely 8 inches long, if that, and only weighs 380g. Jekyll and Hyde are about 4 inches longer and both weigh more than 620g. No wonder he is still a bit nervous in the cage. He's very sweet to humans, but so unsure about rats, since he's been living alone for 2 years. 

On that note, Jekyll and Hyde have lost so much weight recently. All of my boys have lost some on this new diet, which is good, but 6 months ago Hyde weighed 200 grams more than he does now. Proof that my precious boy is getting old.  I want to get 3 years out of them, though - I can't imagine life without my squishy man. 

Darcy got a quick check whilst I was at the vet yesterday and he is in amazing health. Extremely sprightly - you'd never know he was only a few months younger than Jekyll and Hyde. 

I should probably post their nicknames, because it is a massive effort calling them by their proper names all the time:
Jekyll = Belly, JekyllBelly, BellyBoo, Boo, Bubble, Jellybelly, JellyBekyll
Hyde = Fatman, Smoosh, Blob
Richelieu = Squishelieu, Squishy, Squishlet (many variations of Squish, basically), the Squirmese Python, pliable one
D'Artagnan = Darty, Chachypoo, Dartypoo, Darty-darling, My Little Gentleman
Willoughby = Willow, Squillow, Squibbly, Squibbles, Wibbly, Wibbly-wobbly-woo, Squirrel, Pillowby, Webbles, Webbley

Darcy doesn't have any nicknames yet, but I'm sure they will come.

I feel rather guilty - in the flurry of new-rat-ness and with all the pressure of assignments, I have been rather neglecting my poor fish. Odysseus has been two weeks without a water change and the girls have gone a week. I put some Prime in the tank today as a temporary measure, but I must clean it ASAP. I also haven't been keeping the Pesticles' (that's Richelieu and Darty, and sometimes Wibbley) half of the cage as clean as I should. I am supposd to clean it every day and I've just had so much work lately that I've done it every second day at best.  I did a big clean today, though. 

I'm cooking tonight - Roast Vegetable and Couscous salad followed by Cranberry Cinnamon Poached Pears.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I'd love to see some pics of your ratties! Would you mind uploading some?


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Sure wouldn't!  Love to show off my boys. I'll have to steal my sister's camera and wait for her to upload some recent ones, but I'll have a look for some on my computer too.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, dinner last night worked rather well, if I do say so myself. Serves four my right buttock, though. Serves 4 Hagrids, maybe. I had some for lunch. The dressing is so nice - milk, yoghurt, mint, cumin and garlic. Yum yum. Tastes like that Indian stuff that I can't spell. 

I am very tired as a result of sleeping on the kitchen floor last night so I would hear if any fighting started between Jekyll/Hyde and Darcy. None did, but I woke up every two hours when a rat decided to chew something/bounce on something/rearrange the cage/take a drink/throw lab blocks out of the cage at me. 

English essay due tomorrow.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Oooh, sounds tasty. 
I love a good curry. lol


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Hey look, I'm a Bronze member!


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

Congrats on the bronzing! :lol:

I'm looking forward to your ratty pics - think you can post one of their home, too? I enjoy looking at people's rat habitats as well as the occupants.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Sure! I'd like to show off my monstrous cage.  If you guys have rat/fish pictures you want to share, please do.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

I do miss my rats. My mothers was amazing. I bred one litter for a lady who sold them (not as food I promise) and this one little albino boy caught my attention. He was so nice and would grab your lower lip and lick it, he never bit anyone. I got him a rabbit cage and gifted him to my mother. Within a week the rabbit cage was gone and my father got him a three teared monster of a ferret cage along with toys and hammock. I think he died of a lung issue though. He started weezing a lot and there was no hope. He made it to almost three though. I had two fancy's that I had to rehome because of moving. They live with a lovely 30 something year old man who is mentally ill. (he lives with his parents who do the general care for the rats) he does all the social stuff and they sit on his shoulders and such and he feeds them. I do wish I had the room now for at least a little mouse. I had a long haired mouse too named Fred who died of old age. He used to sit on top of my hand and fall asleep as I rubbed his cheek, so sweet.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Aw, he sounds like such a sweety! Turns out that Darcy is a massive licker. I was talking to him through the cage bars this morning and he licked my nose for about 20 seconds. I nyawwed.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

their like teeny doggys!


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I don't have any ratties, but I do have a hammy. :3 I'd love a rat or two.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Shirley is spot on, they are just like teeny dogs. Definitely worth it for the future, Maisy! 

Hyde goes in for his operation today. If I can raid my dad's camera I'll upload a picture of what's being chopped off.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I hope he does good. ;D

I was thinking a rat after my hammy passes (not any time soon I hope!). Can you keep them on fleece?

Below are some pics of my ham. :3
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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Hamsters seriously look as if Disney and a 6-year-old girl collaborated to make what they considered would be the cutest animal imaginable. They don't look like they have any other function than to be cute.  I love your cage, by the way!

Rats can live on fleece. In fact, fleece pads are a recommended bedding, as they help prevent bumblefoot (Hyde's wound started out as bumblefoot). I'd put it on top of lino. Couple of things you should know, though:
- rats need to be kept in pairs or groups. Keeping them singly is not a good idea. I can link you to some really great essays on why, if you are interested. 
- they are a heck of a lot more expensive than hamsters, as they need a much bigger cage and will need vetinary attention at some point during their lives. That is pretty much a guarantee. 

I think those are the only downsides.  Not that keeping two is a downside - rat behaviour with other rats is incredibly cute. I love seeing my boys snuggled up together in a space that should really barely even hold one of them.  And they are such friendly, happy little critters. Whenever Darcy sees me he still bounces up to the front of the cage for cuddles. The others all give a general sniff in my direction, the lazy little fatties.

I had to buy a new water bottle for the bottom half of the cage today, since I attached their normal one to the travel cage for Hyde. I also decided to get some new toys (you know, just since I was there). I got a parrat sunflower seed block, which has been a massive success. They have to work pretty hard to break the seeds off the block, so they can't have too many at once, but the reward for their work is a yummy treat. It kept Willoughby and Darcy especially entertained. I also got a banana-shaped and flavoured chew. I think it's made of chalk, but they seem to like it and it lasts forever. I also got some more wooden fuit-flavoured chews, but they won't go on my ka-bob, so I need my dad to make the holes bigger. 

I may have to buy another cage today when Hyde gets home, so the others can't get at his bandages and chew them. I think the second size of the Pet One rabbit/guinea pig cages looks good - it's long and shallow, which is the opposite of what rats want normally, but since he won't be able to climb it's perfect. I can put in an igloo and some extra fleeces and blankets for him - maybe even a low-slung hammock. 
I got a call from the vet a couple of hours ago to say the surgery was successful. I get to pick him up this afternoon and find out about his post-op care and whether he'll need a neck collar to stop him trying to reach his wound. That will look hilarious, but also quite gorgeous.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Ok, trying to upload some pictures. If this works, the pictures are, in order:
1) Hyde asleep in a hammock. I'm pretty sure this was J K Rowling's inspiration for a pygmy puff.
2) Jekyll looking absolutely manic and showing off his six-pack 
3) Jekyll looking as he normally does - extremely pretty
4) The two of them asleep on me in front of the TV during cuddle-time (scuse my face)
5) Richelieu (on top) and D'Artagnan, fully grown and gorgeous
6) Willoughby, all sleepy, looking tiny
7) My baby wombat (just kidding, it was just visiting)


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Thanks for all of the info! ;D They are beautiful. I love the one that's second from last. lol Would this make a good cage - http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4470999? I'm curious as my LPS sells something like it.


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## jediwing (Mar 22, 2012)

Bombalurina said:


> In just under an hour I have to leave for a tutorial on Jane Austen at uni. I love the course, love JA (except for Emma) and I love my tutor, so it should be good.


Yay! Another JA fan! Persuasion is my favorite followed by Sense & Sensibility. What was your tutorial on?

Bonus points for naming him Willoughby 

Batman: Arkham City is pretty epic as well.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Hey Maisy, that link isn't working for me. Could you give me the name of the cage so I can search it on the Petsmart site? 

Jediwing: I do not remember what the tutorial was about that week.  I can tell you we have now moved on to Mansfield Park, and that after the break we get to study Persuasion and Emma (my absolute least favourite). 
Love Batman. 

Rat update: Darcy and Willoughby hate each other. That's ok because they aren't living together, but it does mean that I have to cuddle and exercise them seperately, which is a massive pain. Hyde has finally settled down into his comfy hospital cage (he was really stressed by it at first) and isn't chewing his bandages, which is good. All the other rats were, though, so he has to be alone for ten days except when under close supervision. All the vet staff fell in love with him yesterday because of his loving sweetness and ended up feeding him lots of Caramellos and chicken, so I don't think he was too traumatised by the whole experience. His back leg looks all funny shaved. 

Halfway through my Property law essay. I have this morning to finish it, this afternoon to refine it and tomorrow to do my referencing/panic about it.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Biotypes I want one day:

- betta imbellis 
- chocolate gourami
- discus
- gardneri killifish


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettashm&1333647785 
My dream fish. I also want a pure orange VT and a Mustard gas delta.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

It was the ferret nation cage.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Ferret Nation is excellent.  It's what most people recommend: solid floor, climbing space, lots of space for hammocks and toys.  Big enough for a small group of rats, too. 

I had to get up at 12:30 this morning because Hyde was chewing his bandage off, and cover it with athletic tape and plasters. He chewed those off during the night, plus a little more of the bandage. It's revealing his poor swollen little foot now. My mum will have to take him to the vet for me to get a head collar. I'd go, but I have to rewrite my essay, because, on reflection, it sucks.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

OMG your rats are huge!!!  ? D: ? I did NOT know they get so big!
-ahem- do they poop on you? xDDD


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Lol. Most rats are much smaller than mine. Jekyll and Hyde are abnormally large, with a good 11-12 inches of body and another 8 of tail. The Pesticles are both a bit smaller, Willoughby is about the same size and Darcy is still tiny (read: normal). Jekyll and Hyde had a huge father, but I think whatever I feed them may be a contributing factor, as Squishy and Darty both had small and slender parents and have outgrown their siblings by a fair margin. Willoughby was quite small when I got him, but at 9 months he should have been fully grown. Then I fed him up and he grew in all directions.

As for pooping, it's not too bad. They poop a little whilst getting used to you, but mine are pretty well trained and will only poop in the cage (usually in the litter tray or one of their other designated spots), or on my holding towels. I have a little hamster litter tray with a scoop that I use when holding them, so I don't have to leave the poop on me. They'll only poo somewhere else if they are really frightened (like bathtime) or really desperate. Traces of urine are generally more common. Again, holding towels + rat designated hoodies. 

My mum took Hyde into the hospital for me. Turns out the vet will have to shave his back and staple the collar into his skin to stop him ripping it off.  I know she is a really great, experienced rat vet and will always do right by my boys (whom she loves), but it just sounds so barbaric. 

On the plus side, two hours later, my essay is much better. 

Last night, I had a dream in which I was Batman and Harry Potter rolled into one (yes, I do dream that I'm a guy). I had to fight Voldemort whilst evacuating Gotham Hogwarts through a time rift because Voldy had also unleashed a giant snail that absorbed people's life force into them. I died, but Catwoman, Commissioner Gordon, Ron and Hermione managed to get most people out, and I took Voldemort and apparently the entire universe with me. Unfortunately, my death caused my parents to divorce, my multitude of siblings to hate my parents, and my dad to grow a bikie beard and become an alcoholic.

I know the Batman came from my exhausted self reading comics before sleeping, the bikie beard came from watching the Biggest Loser, the alcoholism, divorce and parental hatred came from reading an article in the Woman's Weekly, and the time rift came from Doctor Who, but I cannot think why I also dreamt about Harry Potter. I haven't read it in ages and I don't recall thinking of it that much recently.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Dreams are odd, aren't they? 

11 inches?! My hamster is only 4 or 5 inches long. The only time I have ever seen him go pee or poo outside of the cage, was when the LPS worker was handing him to me to hold and he peed on the floor. lol It was when I was purchasing him.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, I had my first ever petsitting job with my new company today, which was lovely. One house with a cat, one with a dog, three cats, a cockatiel and a fish tank. Unfortunately, the tank was really, really poorly stocked.  A 3ft tank with 3 clown loaches, 3 kissing gouramis, two angels, 1 botia loach, 1 albino cory, two BN plecos, 2 silver dollars, a red-tailed shark, 3 bala sharks and another couple of fish I couldn't identify. 

I spent all of last night on the sofa trying to keep Hyde calm and happy. It was better than him being in his cage alone (he is such an attention-seeking sook), but neither of us slept well. I got about 1.5 hours and he got even less. I don't think he's slept properly since he was sedated yesterday. He seems to be sleeping ok on my mum's lap at the moment, which is good, but I've made another appointment tomorrow to see if we can take the collar off, since it is making him so unhappy. 

Maisy: hamsters are just freakishly small.  I love looking at mice - I can barely fathom how something that small can be a functioning mammal.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Bombalurina said:


> Well, I had my first ever petsitting job with my new company today, which was lovely. One house with a cat, one with a dog, three cats, a cockatiel and a fish tank. Unfortunately, the tank was really, really poorly stocked.  A 3ft tank with 3 clown loaches, 3 kissing gouramis, two angels, 1 botia loach, 1 albino cory, two BN plecos, 2 silver dollars, a red-tailed shark, 3 bala sharks and another couple of fish I couldn't identify.
> 
> I spent all of last night on the sofa trying to keep Hyde calm and happy. It was better than him being in his cage alone (he is such an attention-seeking sook), but neither of us slept well. I got about 1.5 hours and he got even less. I don't think he's slept properly since he was sedated yesterday. He seems to be sleeping ok on my mum's lap at the moment, which is good, but I've made another appointment tomorrow to see if we can take the collar off, since it is making him so unhappy.
> 
> Maisy: hamsters are just freakishly small.  I love looking at mice - I can barely fathom how something that small can be a functioning mammal.


I have a syrian, the biggest breed. Roborovskii hamsters are a WHOLE different monster.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, this has been a hectic few days. Hyde is finally free of the head collar. He's sleeping in his hospital cage in my room now, not in the bed with me (which I confess, I did kind of enjoy, apart from being wacked in the face by his headcollar every time he moved) but he still comes in the bed for cuddles evening and morning whilst he's there. He is chewing his bandages something terrible, but I have spare ones so I just keep redoing the dressing every 12 hours. He goes in to the vet again tomorrow, so hopefully she'll let him keep it off. When his wound is fully healed (hopefully on Friday) he can go back in with Jekyll and Darcy again. 

I've given myself the Easter long weekend (Friday - today (Monday)) off from uni work, just to let my brain unwind and de-stress a little. I finished one of my petsitting jobs today. It was a really nice job, but I've still got one running a couple of streets away. The cat there is lovely. 

My poor neglected fish have been seen to at least, and I'll be doing another water change on the bedroom tank over the next few days to make up for the fact that I didn't clean them for 8 days. I hated the way my workload, stress and exhaustion took away from my ability to care for them.

I'm struck everyday with how handsome my little ratties are.  My two black boys (the Pesticles) especially so, despite their multiple chins. 

I cooked on Saturday again! I made lentil and sweet potato burgers (extremely tasty) and had them in rolls with beetroot, cucumber, tomato, cheese and carrot. It wasn't entirely vegan (it was dairy cheese and there was butter in the bread) but it was vegetarian.  I was going to make chocolate mousse too but my avocados weren't ripe enough. 

I also tidied the area around my desk, which was a pile of clutter, and put away the multitude of rat washing my mother had done for me whilst I was too busy being sick, stressed and essayed. I love her. She and I and my sister are all watching the BBC Pride and Prejudice together. I'm so glad my sister is in to Jane Austen now, so I can have long chats with her about it.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

I did the same break this weekend ironically (saturday sunday and monday). because i thought my head was going to explode. I go to a christian university and they don't give breaks often. They are hardcore on studies. We get a week for thanksgiving (maybe two at least a week) and two weeks for christmas. That's it. I was feeling very burnt this week from math. annuity's bank loans payroll and finances and such. This week I think is mortgaging and keeping track of a business's financial worth. idk I haven't even looked. 
As much as I enjoy writing essay's I am enjoying getting a break from that too, no essay's in business Math. My university focus's on one class at a time which is 7 days a week (sunday optional) for about 3 to 6 weeks per class. I like being able to focus on once class at a time it's nice.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Yeesh, I couldn't do 7 days a week. But then, the structure of my degree is quite different. Unlike the science degrees my friends are doing, which have a lot of contact hours and not too much outside work, I have very few contact hours and a heck of a lot of work to do outside of class. 

Well, Hyde had his bandage removed this morning. The swelling has gone down and the wound looks really good. Only minor bleeding. The vet is keeping him in for the day to monitor it and his behaviour towards the stitches. That's what she says, anyway. I know she just wants to cuddle him all day.  The vet staff love him. I'm going to buy them all some chocolate. 

I had a lovely cuddle in bed with Hyde today. He is sleeping in my room in the hospital cage at the moment, and I woke up at about 0430. He was making noise and fidgeting around, so I turned the light on and noticed a fair amount of poo in the cage. I took him out and put him on his towel in my bed to clean it up, but when I'd finished he looked so comfortable that I didn't want to move him. Besides, the room was freezing cold and my bed was nice and warm, and I was worried that he wouldn't stay warm with no other rats to snuggle with. So he snuggled with me instead, curled up in my arms whilst I slept, until about 8.  It was like having a little space heater under the duvet with me. He is so gorgeous.

Busy morning this morning - chiropractor appointment, then straight to the vet, then straight to uni to return some library books, then to my work office where I picked up loads of balloons and was given a fairy job for a wedding, then to feed the cat I am sitting, then finally back home. 
Tonight I have to pick up Hyde, then the aquarium society committee meeting, then youth group. I'm trying to make a Green Lantern out of balloons for a friend who lent me some comics.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, Hyde is now bandage-free and being a very good boy and not chewing his stitches. I put him in temporarily with the Pesticles whilst I was cleaning his cage. He plonked his fat bottom in a hammock and boggled at me. He clearly loved being back in his cage with his friends, but I couldn't leave him there. The Pests were very good and showed no interest in his foot, but I'm not going to risk it until the ten days are up on Friday. It's a shame, because he was so clearly happy in there.

I think I'm gradually coming to the decision that Darcy has to be neutered. Although he has settled in with Jekyll, there are still disagreements, usually over food or sleeping spots, and I really want him to be able to snuggle up with my little fatty. I also can't cope with him puffing up, hissing and stamping every time he smells a Pesticle. They don't have a problem with him until he has a problem with them. I'd still keep the boys seperate at mealtimes, but at other times they'd be able to have the run of the whole cage, explore the kitchen together and be cuddled on my lap together.


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## moodyt23 (Apr 11, 2012)

*Trouble getting bichir to eat*

my bichir i got 2 days ago, im having trouble getting him to eat do the yeat when its dark or am I not feeding him right im feeding him shrimp pellets.


HELP?


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Moody, this is probably not the best thread to post this in. I'd suggest either taking this to the "Other Fish" section or to TropicalFishKeeping rather than BettaFish, as you'll have a wider range of people who know about Birchirs there.

My only other advice is, give him time to settle in and feed him right before lights out.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, I honestly did try to get some of my case note done today, but my brain just wasn't cooperating. I read the case and the question and tried to figure out my opinion, but I can't formulate any reasons behind it.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, at work last night I found at that one of the families thinks that the place went to the dogs whilst I was in charge, because staff were "picking on" his child. No, they weren't. His child is a total toerag, a danger to other children and an all-round nuisance. It's not that he behaves better when I'm not there, or that I pick on him - I just happen to be one of the best workers there (that's not me being arrogant, some of our staff are apalling) and actually notice when children misbehave. And, guess what, I do my job and stop them.

One of the staff ended up telling this child he was an idiot or something and the dad got all riled up. The staff member was talked to by the girl in charge that night, but apparently doesn't give a damn. I am all for this child being told he is an idiot, but not by us. You just can't do that when you are a staff member responsible for these children and accountable to their parents.

Yay, work again tonight.

I baked extremely tasty vegan cookies today - cranberry and oatmeal.
What makes something a cookie and something else a biscuit?


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

Calling a problem child an idiot is also not benificial to the child either. If the kid has problems it usually starts at home. I had issues like this when I was in child care. Also took psychology and early childhood education along with teachers aide courses in college prep in highschool.


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

"Toerag" :rofl:

One of those words I just don't hear much anymore, never fails to crack me up...

Bad behaviour ought to be addressed (both with the child -and- its parents, imo), and it's nice to hear that you agree - the 'idiot' thing from that other worker was a bit harsh, though, and as a parent I'd probably be upset, too. 

I think the difference between 'cookie' and 'biscuit' is just USA vs Aussie/Brit lingo. Though I do tend to call anything round with chocolate chips in it a 'cookie', by default. I blame Sesame Street. :-D


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

HAHA, Sesame street. I liked the vampire... lol


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Shirleythebetta said:


> Calling a problem child an idiot is also not benificial to the child either. If the kid has problems it usually starts at home. I had issues like this when I was in child care. Also took psychology and early childhood education along with teachers aide courses in college prep in highschool.


This child's problem does start at home - the parents do nothing to discipline him. I am complete agreement that a staff member should not be calling this child a name, but these parents need to take their children in hand.

Another problem we encounter at work is people bringing their children with autism or Asbergers or other problems to us. Not one of us is a qualified childcare worker. All we are there to do, technically, is 'facilitate safe play'. We are not equipped to look after children with issues like that. Every time they come, they cause trouble, but we can't discipline them like any other child, and of course the other children then say, "Oh, but you didn't put so-and-so in time out." 

And my goodness, so many of the staff there are totally useless. 

I have to run a fairy party at a wedding today. For 5 children. Aged 3-10. For an hour and a half. I don't understand why people book me for things like this - how can you except a ten-year-old to be entertained by a fairy when she also has to dumb her performance down to keep the 3-year-old entertained?

Apple and cinammon tea. Mmm-hmm. 

I did a lot of interesting reading on the topic of gay marraige yesterday. I think I'm going to have to write down precisely what I think about it to clarify my position in my own head. One thing I do dislike (and I dislike this about any cause, whatever it is) is that there is such enormous pressure to be on one side of it, or you are a heartless, cruel, bigoted sadist who hates human rights, or a crazed, over-liberal, morally depraved communist who wants everyone to be gay. I don't think that's true. There are some lovely, caring people on both sides of the issue, just like there are extremists on both sides.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Oh, and I never watched Sesame Street. Playschool, Arthur and Art Attack all the way.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I had such a fantastic dream last night. It involved midnight vampire/werewolf sacrifices (the terrifying kind of vampires/werewolves, not the overused Anne Rice/Stephanie Myer/whatever kind) and ended up with Batman. I love my brain when it does that to me.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

My last day of looking after Daisy today (the cat for my first pet-sitting job). I got my first animal-minding payslip yesterday.  

The wedding went pretty well yesterday, despite the wedding party being late and half of the children I had to look after being boys. I was quite surprised as to how well they took to the fairy looking after them. 

Church today, followed by a Disney movie marathon with some friends. Huzzah! Tomorrow will be a busy day. Vet appointment, taking my files back to the boss, dropping my fairy costume back (I hope I can keep my magic to practice, though), haircut (at last) and trying desperately to finish my assignment. Blergh.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

The best thing you can do when entertaining children in that range of age is try to get the older ones involved in helping you entertain the youngest. Even though that may still not work, it's worth a try. Most kids around ten love to have some kind of responsibility. It's about preteen age so they are kind of in that between "kid and teen" stage.
So this place you work has no regulations on taking special needs children? Is it posted anywhere were the parents can see a statement that no one is qualified to care for special needs kids? That may help. It sounds like your work is cut out for you. Doesn't seem like there were very organized rules and boundaries for parents, children and workers when you started there. That's not easy.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I think the problem is that the club we work for doesn't actually care. Because it is a free service, they can't see the money that we bring in from parents being dragged in by their children. As such, we have to function with no authority, very few rules, little support from the club, and in rooms totally unsuited for children. They are basically just function rooms - tvs on the wall that we can't use but the children could smash if they tried, tables everywhere with no safe places for the children to run, and outdated board games and movies. What also doesn't help is that we only really have the regulars, who think that by dint of having been there for years they don't have to obey the rules any more. 

I truly hate that job, but we are so understaffed and my boss is so good to me. The company has always looked after me, so whilst we have Kids Club I'm not going to leave them in the lurch. 
When we get more staff, however, I am high-tailing it out of there.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

RIP Medea.  She wasn't the most beautiful betta in my tank, but she was still pretty and she was a such a little punk.  I'm going to miss her gorgeous, ugly face demanding food every time I walk past the tank. I tried to save her, but it didn't work. All my bettas seem to die the same way. No a nice way to go. 

Bye bye, baby girl.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I'm so sorry.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Thanks Maisy. 

Well, went into the vet to dicuss potentially neutering Darcy, and she agreed it should be done. She offered to do it chemically (only under anaesthetic for a minute, no slicing and no stitches) right there and then, so we said ok, and now I have a chemically neutered rat! He was a bit groggy from the anaesthetic, but now he is fine and happy. Hopefully it will kick in over the next 4-6 weeks and we will have a peaceful cage. Really, this lady is the best rat vet ever. My boys are so content with her.

Hyde has gone back into the main cage now, much to his joy. He is snuggled in a too-small nest box with his brother.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

hmmm, yea thats a rough situation.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

The childcare place that is. I forgot to quote the message I was refering too.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Hmmm...any other ladies just hate that time of the month? My tummy hurts way too much to get up and go to my chiropractor this morning so I had to call and cancel. 

Urgh, water changes. What with Medea, Darcy and Hyde, I've been lazy this week *again* and it's been 8 days *again* since my last water change. I hate my silly self sometimes. 

Today I plan to finish draft one of my Litigation case note (due Thursday...this semester has made me the Queen of last minute) and in the afternoon clean the fish. If the pain abates I will also head into town and try and find some shoes and some winter clothes, because although I am well equipped for summer I have very few winter tops. 

My friends came over last night and played Risk Legacy. I won!  I started out in South Africa, took the continent, smashed my way into South America, and then realised my boyfriend would win in one more turn, so I turned around, sold my soul for more troops, broke through his Asian defences up to Vladivostok and wiped out my other friend there, then took his base in Alaska and won myself.  Go me.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, turns out that my casenote is actually due 4pm today. No shopping for me til then.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, I managed to get my casenote from zero to hero in a relatively short time and had it in before it was due. Whether I pass is entirely another matter. 

Went to the local fish society last night and I so nearly bought my new Medea! She was a purple/red giant halfmoon and I didn't buy her! Grr at me. But my tank is overstocked, so it's just as well. I got some new subbwassertang, but I've now dismantled my shrimp tank so it has all gone in with Odysseus. It has made a jelly carpet. 

Both my crystal shrimps have died due to my negligence over the past week.  I couldn't find the body of one, but I fed the body I did find to Circe. My goodness, she gobbled it down. No wonder she is a ball with a tail. 

I have no vegan cookies or yoghurt left, so I must make/buy some more. 

After handing my assignment in I had coffee with a friend (soy latte = amazingly tasty) then went to Rivers, which had a sale on, and got some very cute shoes. http://www.rivers.com.au/catalogdb/blowuppage.asp?SP=30833&PS=23&G=2womens They are extremely comfortable and very supportive, plus they slip on. They look nice with jeans. 

This morning I have cleaned the sorority and Odysseus's tank and dismantled the shrimp tank (partially). Odysseus also got the hornwort from that tank.
I pulled a 7ft anacharis out of the sorority tank and trimmed my ludwigia back from 2.5ft to 18in.

Next up: clean the rats, finish cleaning Medea's hospital tank, go shopping, visit sick friend.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, I cleaned the rats. The rest didn't happen.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I want this fish (without the eye problem): http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettashm&1334762332 in this colour: http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettashm&1334767817. The first one has amazing form, the second is my favourite colour. 

Time to watch Buffy.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Had chiro this morning, followed by a quick shop. I got three tops and a warm cosy poncho. I also got a new bottle of Prime. 

Now I have a massive headache.  I want to bake, so I might walk down to the shops and get some ingredients. Heaven knows I can't work with my brain like this.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, it's been a few days. What's happened? 

My friend Lea came over and saw my fishies (yay, I got to show them off!). That was fun. I did some assignmentage and kept having terrible headaches. That was less fun. I tidied my bedroom. Cathartic yet frantic. 

My Jane Austen essay (I chose to write on class representations in Masnfield Park and Persuasion) is due tomorrow. I've written it, but I need to throw in some sources and fix it up because the last half is pretty shoddy.

I've started rewatching Buffy from the beginning of Season One. Dear me, I love that show. I'm determined to get hold of Angel and start watching that in parallel when I start Buffy Season 4.
My dream is for Joss Whedon and Steven Moffat to co-write something. Whedon would create the most incredible characters that you have to love and give them insane chemistry, then Moffat would put them in storylines of adventure, pain and paradox that would keep you glued to it until the last moment.
Fangirl? Who, me?

I also made the mistake of browsing the two local classifieds sites. I've asked one person if I can buy their Twilight books (please don't hate, I'm not a rabid Twihard), and another person if I can have their betta. There's a thread in Betta Chat called "I don't know what to do" if you want to weigh in on that. Unfortunately, the classifieds also depressed me a little - so many poorly stocked tanks and lonely, neglected ratties!
One day, I'll be able to save them all.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Not much has happened with me. I did get a new tank stand that will fit BOTH of my tanks. lol I have the fun task today of putting together the stand and moving the tanks. I think I'll do it when I'm doing a water change so there is less water. :3


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Enjoy that, Maisy. 

Well, I finished my essay, threw in some sources and handed it in with minutes to spare. It's probably one of the shoddier essays I've written since coming to uni, but hopefully it will be enough. I need to maintain a distinction average (that's 70% or more) to get into the Honours programme. What's depressing is that for Law honours you only need a low credit average - 61, I think, possibly less - and I can't even get that. Just goes to show how my brain works.  I'd rather analyse a novel than a case any day. 

Today I cleaned my fish and made another resolution to do it twice this week, which I have failed to do for nearly a month now.

Holidays are officially over, as of yesterday, although tomorrow is a public holiday (Anzac Day). It will give me a chance to catch up on the reading for weeks 7 and 8. I was a bit flat-out yesterday, so I'm going to take it slowly today and help my brain recover.

I bought the Twilight books off the local classifieds last night. The most disappointing thing for me is that Twilight doesn't have the pretty apple, it has the creepy movie poster picture of Edward and Bella. Robert Pattinson, you were Hotter in Potter. 
Please don't stop reading the thread, if you are subscribed, on the basis of my new books.  Hey, at least I didn't pay for them first hand!

Roiboos tea with lemon juice. Mmhmm.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I went to the doctor yesterday about the constant headaches. She poked and prodded and tested and then sent me off to the blood testers. That did not go well.
First, he couldn't find my veins. This happens every time. I have invisble veins. Then, when he eventually did get a vein (after me having my arm in a compression strap for ten minutes), the needle didn't go in quite right, so it started bleeding outside the wound (that hasn't happened before). The blood wasn't running normally into the tubes, either - it was spurting and bubbling like a gravel siphon line with air in it (yes, I made that comparison). Then, on the third vial, the needle slipped out of the vein. Blood was now running down my arm to my wrist and it really stung, but blood was also still going into the vials, so we kept on plugging. Eventually, all four vials were filled, his hands were shaking like a vibrato solo and I was a bit of a mess.
I don't mind needles at all, but that wasn't fun. And my arm was so achy even three hours later than my mum had to drive me to uni because I couldn't lift my left arm to the wheel properly, or operate the handbrake (the driver's seat is on the right here, so the handbrake is on the driver's left).
This makes me curious - Americans, what order do the pedal go in, from left to right, for you guys? Ours go clutch, brake, accelerator, although our car is an auto, so no clutch, just a foot rest.
It would be so trippy to visit a country where I had to drive on the right. Do your roundabouts go anti-clockwise? Cos that's wierd too. 

I'm enjoying Twilight again. Don't hate me. 

Last night, I was eating a meat pie (yep, being vegan is not easy in this house) and made the mistake of offering a gravy-covered finger to Hyde to lick. In his blindness (he's probably 99% blind, if not more) and his rapture at the smell, he didn't lick. He bit. It hurt. Not his fault in the slightest, though - I should have remembered how happy they get about meat pie. Stupid me. Still hurts, though.  
Darcy tried to lick the wound better today. He's a little sweetheart. They all are. Love for all my babies. 

Week 7 of Property Law - done and dusted. Now for week 7 of Litigation. Urgh.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

I hate getting blood drawn sometimes. They say I have "rolling" veins and it takes several pokes. I am used to it by now though and it doesn't hurt me much.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I feel your pain, fellow-pin-cushion.

Still have the headaches.  I got adjusted by the chiropractor this morning, which helped for a few hours, but now they are back with a vengeance.

Went into my property lecture, then my English tute. The teachers all advised us to protest the proposed budget cuts. Apparently, the first thing they look at in assession which teachers to cut is the number of grants they get (not relevant to the quality of their teaching), then the number of works that teacher has published (also not relevant) and finally their actual teaching ability. That seems a bit stupid to me. I went to the protest but was an observer. I couldn't hear most of what was being said, anyway.

I bought two more Batman comics.  I also bought sushi for the ratties. They love their sushi. I bought a mixed box so I suppose everyone can choose his favourite. I think it's beef, tuna, salmon, prawn, vegetable california, and a couple of duplicates. 8 rolls per box, $8. Very tasty. 

I finished Twilight last night and started New Moon this morning. 

Today I got a text from one of the staff asking if anyone could cover her at work. She and her friends don't seem to understand that you are supposed to call the boss and ask him to find someone to cover you. It's nice that she wants to save him the work, but he wants to do it so that he knows exactly what is going on. 
I'm guessing she's pulling out for a social reason (again), which means I can't pull out for sickness because if I do we'll be one short. I really hate this job.  I wish I could quit now, but I hate to let my bosses down like that because they've always been really good to me. Le sigh. 

What's everyone's favourite type of hot drink?


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Decaf Coffee and Hot Chocolate. :3


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, it has been a while, but I'm back.  A combination of back pain, a buttload of uni work (trying to catch up from the backlog of weekly readings after neglecting them to do assignments) and the distractions of Medieval Total War 2 (go the Holy Roman Empire!) kept me away. What's been happening with you guys?

My dad twisted his ankle extremely badly yesterday on a run and is now on crutches. I did my first job as a party host, which was not great. I saw two friends I haven't seen in ages. I got my first HD on an assignment (only took 4 years). 

In fishy news, I have sadly had another death. My Psyche, the most beautiful girl in the tank, who had a glorious tail and the most beautiful irridescent red and blue fins, died of internal parasites despite my best attempts to save her. She went lethargic, lost her colour, pineconed, sank to the bottom and died within 48 hours.
With her death, I only had four girls left in the tank and a bit of nipping started up. It's settled down now but I bought three new girls anyway. Cassandra is a mustard gas with a bent spine and badly torn fins. Demeter is the cutest little pink and green cambodian. I don't normally like cams, but she is so pretty. Hippolyta is a very pretty red and blue. Unfortunately, I think she might be a Hercules, in which case I will have to rehome her.  She is very aggressive, has built a solid bubblenest, has a big beard and solid ventrals. 
All three 'girls' are in one of my spare tanks, a nice 5 gallon hexy. Hippolyta is in a breeder box in the tank so she stops chasing poor Cassie. The tank looks pretty good - two big silk plants, two shells caves, one recumbant pot, one log, two java ferns and a substrate of IAL. The water is a nice golden colour and has 1 tsp of salt per gallon to try and held Cassie's fins. She is certainly looking less stressed and has become more active. When I saw her in the shop, I thought she was dead.
I'm glad I discovered this shop. They are a bit more expensive and I have to travel 40 minutes to get to them, but they are really ethical and treat their animals well. They aren't entirely betta savvy (think they need less than a gallon to be happy) but they have their males in 1/2 litre heated, filtered compartments and their females in a decent sized sorority. Their treatment of their birds is amazing. They also support heaps of wildlife charities. 

I have a bunch of photos of fish and rats to add soon, but for now I have to head off and get ready for uni.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Thought it was time for some more photo spam. 

1) My first rescue, Apollo. He came to me in a cold, dirty 1 litre jar, the kind we get instant coffee in here. Thankfully, the people who owned him had the good sense to sell him on when they did some research and realised that, contrary to what the petshop said, that was not a good home for him. The day after I got him, his tail began to fall off; a delayed reaction to his poor conditions. At its worst, he had less than 2cm left. Finrot troubled him on and off throughout his life, but he was always a healthy and active boy, up until his death.

2) Athena came from my favourite petshop, sadly now closed. I originally went in to buy a gorgeous white delta male (very rare here), but I saw her bossing around the other girls in the tank. She swam up to me as if to say "What are you looking at?!" and I had to get her. 

3) Aphrodite was my first ever girl. I got this little Cambodian second hand with her tank (included filter, heater, decorations and chemicals) and I loved her. I was broken-hearted when she died. I got Athena as her successor.

4) A little while before I got Apollo, I came across a guppy with a deformed body in a petshop. Someone's idea of a joke had been to drop her in a jar with an angry red male CT, where she had been bitten badly. She was only surviving by staying in his blind spot, and he was well riled up. My friend gave me another female guppy to be friends with her. I named the deformed guppy Myrtle (after moaning Myrtle, from Harry Potter, because she looked like the S bend of a toilet) and the other girl Hepzibah (inkeeping with the theme). I reasoned that even 5 gallons with my grumpy Athena, with its heated, clean water, live plants and hiding spots was better than a cold dirty jar with a murderous male. I ended up upgrading to this 16 gallon. 

5) A better shot of the 16 gal. You can see Hepzibah's yellow tail up the top right. Athena is the black shape to her left. Myrtle's orange tail is just visible in the elodea.

6) A blurry close-up of Myrtle, so you can see her spine.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

More pictures!

1) Stage two of the evolution of the 16 gallon. The two gups passed first, followed by Athena. I re-did the tank and added a few plants. You can see how the others have grown in. At this stage I think I just had ember tetras and panda cories - I hadn't bought my sorority girls at that point. 

2) Artemis (green), Thetis (just behind her) and Psyche (above) in the bag when I bought them. They were so pale!

3) Thetis investigating a snail. I don't think she was impressed. Not sure who that is hiding in the greenery behind her. I can't believe how grey she looked! Before she died, she was the most amazing blue, green and red. 

4) Stage 3 of the tank! Sadly, by the time of these photos being taken, Thetis had died. You can see Circe at the very top of the tank, Hera beneath her, Medea's face under Hera's body, then Persephone, then Artemis. As you can see, the tank is totally overgrown. I'm having a massive problem keeping on top of the rapid plant growth. I trim it every week and by the end of the week, it looks like that again. The java fern on top of the driftwood cave in the middle has gone totally mad. So's the hornwort.

5) You can see how much Medea (blue, RIP) and Hera have coloured up since I bought them. 

6) Artemis too. I don't have a good picture of Circe or Persephone, my MG, sadly, or of my beautiful Psyche (RIP).


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Now for my other fish.  Hope you guys don't mind all the pictures. I thought I'd go through the trauma of resizing and posting whilst I was in the mood. 

1) I found a good one of Persephone! It doesn't show her pretty colours as much as it could, though.  However, you can see one of my Endler's tails rather well, and one of my Embers.

2&3) Pretty Odysseus and his pretty tail.

4) One of my beautiful killifish, Titus. He's a male fundulopanchax gardneri gardneri. So is Andronicus, but his bottom fins are both blue. They have the cutest faces with huge smiles. 

5) My peppered cory Denning MR and my albino Kirby J. The bronze, Heydon J, is off hiding somewhere. 

Sadly, none of these photos seem to show their true colours really well. I have lots of photos of the Endlers, but none of their beautiful bright blue patches show up, and they swim so fast they just look like orange blurs, which is a shame, because they are stunning. http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/128756-endler-endlers-livebearer/ They look kind of like the first male in this thread. 

Next time I get in a crazy photo mood, I'll post the rat cage and their new photos. During the winter hols I'll make a thread about our Queensland holiday, complete with saltwater crocodiles, scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, and Australia's cuddlier critters.

I'm also going to re-do my tank over the winter holidays - does anyone have any suggestions for some different plants, or most especially, different ways to arrange it? I'll try and get a photo of it looking a bit tidier. I've racked my brains about it but I can never seem to get away from this central arrangement - mostly because there is a driftwood 'cave' covered in java fern that really can't go anywhere else!

I'll also try and get some photos of Demeter and Cassandra, and my new boy, who sadly won't be staying with me, despite his beauty.  I'm fairly sure he is a boy due to his bubblenests, aggression, lack of oviposter, long, pointy anal fin, thick ventrals and relatively large beard.  So sad, because he is a beauty!


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I love the pictures! 

There is a guppy who looks exactly like your deformed one in my LPS.  He's been there for a couple months.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I always feel sorry for the deformed ones. I bought another guppy, Lavender, not long before Hepzibah died, because she was all deformed too. Unfortunately, although her deformity didn't look as bad as Hep's, it was obstructing her digestive system and she died two nights after I bought her.  I'd get him. 

Workworkwork. We start week 11 on Monday. I'm halfway through week 10 of Property reading, I have my friend's notes for Week 9 of Lit. I have an essay due in a week, a Lit presentation in a week, and exams on the 7th and 8th of June. I am so very not ready.

Happy Mother's Day to any Australian mothers on here!

Since Thursday not this week but the week before, I have read all three Hunger Games, all 4 Protector of the Small and 4 and a half Malory Towers. I'll have finished the fifth one by this afternoon. 

This afternoon I need to clean out my quarantine tank. Might do the 16 gallon, too. Any ideas for a rescape, guys? It's such a difficult shape to work with. Any input appreciated.

I need to take a Cold and Flu tablet every morning, because whenever I look down to read my textbook, my nose starts to run. I'm not really that sick, but the constant nosing is really annoying. 

What would you do with $70 million (the interest would be taxed, but the capital is non-taxable here)?


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Whinge. Grump. I'm just so bored with the layout of my tank! It has been essentially the same way ever since I set it up - path through the middle, running under my driftwood cave. I really want to change it, but I feel bad depriving my cories of that cave. 

Some one tell me what to do with it!


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

what would I do with 70 Mil? I would invest 10 Mil and use whatever I needed to open up at least two or three of my businesses I want to start. Then I would open a college fund for my neices so they have no excuse other than not wanting to go. Probably start a local charity for homeless people to get job training and hopefully placement in my local big city. There are people sleeping on the street along main roads right now there. I would also try to get a program to try to help fight the use of drugs and alchohol in that same town. Alchohol is legal but it's just as damaging as crack in my opinion if it's over used. 
I don't know what to do with my tanks yet either. I am upgrading my sorority to a 20 gallon long and probably putting in the ten girls I have now with 5 cories? I don't know yet but I have no idea what I am going to do with the layout. I also have a gender bender betta in a 2.5 currently until he/she can be figured out. Good luck with school and aquascaping.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Thanks, Shirley. Good use of the money! I love spending money I don't have on things like that.  There's so many possibilities with that much money! I'd love to run a bunch of charities, but I'd also like to start a boarding school for underpriveleged students. I'd take some that could pay, to keep it funded, and for the other half I would scout rural schools, native schools and schools from low socio-economic areas for students that wanted to get out of their area and make something of themselves through education, and grant heaps of scholarships. I'd love to do something in 3rd world countries like that, too, because education can change lives so dramatically - opening a college for women to teach things like book-keeping, secretarial work, nursing, teaching etc, and providing a platform for those who want to doctoring or engineering. 

Glad to hear I'm not the only one lacking in inspiration.  I think I may have figured out what to do with my driftwood cave, at least...maybe if I prop it on it's side it can hide the redundant space under my filter. I might turn it into an NPT in preparation for the NPT I want to do when I get the 23 gallon. I know that I want lots of elodea and ambulia, some lacefern, rotala wallachi, ludwigia repens and hornwort as my stem plants. Some pygmy chain sword and java moss in the foreground, with anubias and java fern in the mid-ground.

Now I just need it to be holidays so I can put my plan into action!

Broke it off with my boyfriend last night, which was a bit depressing. We've been going out nearly 18 months, but he started honours this year and I'm working harder than ever at my degree, and we just never see each other. 

Today I will finish week 10 of Property and move on to Litigation. Despite Lit being a billion times more boring, that's my next piece of law assessment, so I should probably get caught up. I'll send my notes to my friends and see if I can trade for some of theirs. Friends are invaluable.

In an attempt to fall asleep quickly and without thinking lots last night, I finished Malory Towers book 6, then read Song of the Lioness Book 1. By that time it was 12:30, but my back was murdering me so I didn't manage to sleep until well gone one am anyway. I shall pay for that today, no doubt.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

It's fun to dream. Ahh... And yea education has changed my life so much and I will say for the better. I even lost friends and people started to act differently. I suppose I will take it though. I have been more respected by those with degrees of their own which is a nice confidence boost. I like knowing I can hold an intellectual conversation with someone with a Master's. I would rather have people around me that are confident. If me getting an education is intimidating rather than an inspiration to them they aren't worth being around. I am the same person I was without an education just a little more book smart than I used to be. This is why my sis in law got into phlebotomy, I tweaked her competitive drive when her mom started praising my University work. Further your education people and stop making excuses! There is always a way.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Dreaming is what gets me through my education.  

Yesterday I cleaned the QT tank and put "Hippolyta" in a bag floating in the sorority tank to keep him out of harm's way. My goodness, he went nuts. He spent the entire time in a crazy flare and I was worried he would bust a fin. He tried to bite Circe through the bag, and then did it again to a female Endler. Persephone was hilarious, though. She wasn't in the least scared of him, but she kept flirting. She had all her fins out, was doing a crazy wiggle dance (not flaring, though) and had really strong breeding bars. I couldn't help but laugh, picturing them together, because she is two and a half times as long and 3 times as fat as he is. 

I also did a partial change, just 2.5 gallons, on the 16 gallon, to vacuum the substrate. I think I'm going to go back to doing that whenever I can, since my shrimp and cories have started to mess it up again. I will probably also release Demeter into the main tank tonight. Cassandra will stay in QT with the boy until her fins are healed (don't worry, he's in a breeder box).

As far as the boy goes, I'm not going to rename him because I know I'll just get too attached. I have a potential home with him, with a lady who keeps her male bettas in 5 litre breeder boxes in her 4ft tank. It's certainly a better situation than his 1/2 litre breeder box in my 5 gal hexy. I'm just worried he'll stress himself massively flaring at the community fish. We'll see how it goes though. If that doesn't work, I have a second home lined up. 
The lady who will probably take him bred those two cuties in my avatar.  I trust her.

I'm not going to fish club tonight - I'm going to go with my youth group to see Avengers instead. I need a movie. I also need to clip my boys' claws, as they are getting rather long. Squish, Darty and Wibbles keep theirs short with lots of climbing and the like, but the three older boys don't do that, especially poor arthritic Hyde, who just falls over a lot. Sigh. Not looking forward to trimming Darcy. He's a wriggler. I have a feeling I will have to sock him (basically shove him in a sock so he can't move, with just the paw I want to clip hanging out).


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I was pleasantly surprised. Darcy is actually really good at having his claws clippped. In fact, he was the best in the cage. When he understood that I wanted him to lie still in my hands and let me play with his paws, he relaxed and did exactly that. 
He is such a soft, fuzzy, happy, licky, cheerful little bundle of cuteness. Every time I see him I am so glad that he came home with me. He's such a personable little rat!

Despite being on medication, Willoughby's sneezes are not getting better, and D'Artagnan has developed chesty noises.  Looks like I'll be spending another $80+ on medication within the next week. Still, it's been a month since my last vet visit. They must be missing me.

I can't stop thinking about _The Avengers_ - what a great movie! I fell in love with Loki in _Thor_, and Avengers did nothing to change that. Also, Tony Stark. Yum. 
Joss Whedon is some kind of genius. I really want him and Stephen Moffat to make a movie together.

There is a hole in my gravel vac where the hose connects to the sucky bit (I'm no scientist). Sigh. It's a nuisance, and I don't have time to go and buy a new one.

I haven't cleaned Odysseus for more than a week now. Good thing it's a planted tank and I always do 50% changes, so I can get away with it. 

I'm worried about Cassandra. Her spinal deformity is giving her all kinds of swimming problems and I'm really not sure she'll be able to cope with my 16 gallon. I'm also worried about her eating habits.  

Hmm, Loki.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Here I sit, writing my Oscar Wilde essay. I'm really worried that it is going to be just like the literary review I wrote. I can't seem to make it different. Sigh.

Work last night was horrible. 45 children. 12 of the girls kept whinging how Kids' Club was living death and they wanted to leave. Try working there, listening to you having a whinge, princess! 6 or 7 of the boys were consistently running, throwing things and generally being little arses, despite me yelling. My sister wasn't working, so nothing got tidied up (there was crud all over the floor) unless I dealt with it, and none of the other staff seemed keen on doing any disciplining, so I became the ogre of the night. Great. 

On the plus side, I am lucky to have a job, let alone one that pays well. Got to keep telling myself that.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettashm&1337469604 I want him. Not only does he have beautiful fins, he has lovely symmetry, too. *drool*


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, I discovered my OW essay was due today. Great. Still, got it in on time, even if I'm not thrilled with it. Now I have tomorrow to work on my tutorial presentation for law. After that, I'll give myself one day of rest. 

Little Cassandra died during the night last night. I never expected her to have a long life, with her physical deformities, but I didn't want it to be that short.  Of the three bettas I bought a couple of weeks ago, I only get to keep one. Cassie is dead and he-who-was-Hippolyta isn't allowed to stay with me.  Such a shame, because he's so beautiful. 

Downton Abbey has restarted in Australia! Huzzah!

Hungry. Hurry up and finish dinner, Daddy. 

I have a bad bad crush on Loki from Avengers. And also Iron Man. And a tiny bit on Thor. 

I can't wait for the holidays! So many things to draw and cook and watch and read and write and bake and clean!


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I'm so sorry about Cassandra. 

I love Downton Abbey. It's such a good show.

I saw the Avengers on Friday. I thought it was good - but IMO some of the scenes dragged on a lot. . .


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Which ones? I have to say I wasn't analysing it from a cinematography point of view - I was just enjoying the action, the one-liners and Loki's voice.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Bombalurina said:


> Which ones? I have to say I wasn't analysing it from a cinematography point of view - I was just enjoying the action, the one-liners and Loki's voice.


When they were in Manhattan fighting the aliens. That one stuck out at me as long. It was funny and I thought the special effects were awesome! 


For some reason I prefer the movies that leave you feeling bad over the feel-good ones. I loved Babel and Syriana. :$


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I haven't seen/heard of those two. I do like a movie with a heart-rending feeling at the end. Phantom of the Opera did that for me.  I just hate it when the lights go back on and you leave the world of awesome for the world of real. The world of real is not so fun.  Then again, the world of awesome really must suck for 'extras'. There you are, walking along, and stuff gets blowed up, then you die. The end. 

Today I got up feeling fine, washed my hair, read a book, cleaned the older boys out...then suddenly, dashing to the toilet, stomach pains, cramps, aches, dizziness. All kinds of fun. Not happy. No uni today, which means I also missed my class reps meeting, and I've had to pull out of work. 

Yesterday I was looking for a new gravel siphon but I cannot find one small enough. I bought 3 more ember tetras instead. They look so pale and colourless in the shop, but within a week of being in my tank I know they will be bright orange with very black markings. 

My mum has hinted that I may be able to keep boy-fish, but I can't get my hopes up because I simply can't see it happening. There is nowhere I can put the tank. (I'm not allowed to have him on my desk). I'm thinking if I do keep him, I'll try and NPT so I only need the plugs for the light and the heater. 

I wish I had a fish room. I really want to breed betta splendens, but I'd also love to do betta imbellis and try some killis. Endlers and tetras could be fun too.  I wouldn't mind trying my hand at ram cichlids or cories, either.

I engaged a local photographer trying to get her business off the ground to take some pictures of my boys! We are going to have a sitting for them after my exams. I'm so excited.  Professional pictures of my babies.  Her business is Kaptured by Kylee, if anyone is interested.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I sat in the front of the car whilst my sister drove today. She's come a long way. I reckon she'll get her license soon.  

Went to the charity shop and got 5 towels for the boys' cage because Hyde has chewed most of mine to the point where they resemble swiss cheese. I also went to the petshop and got a new food dish for them (with cats on it, no less), because their current one is deep and thin - not great when 3 hungry rats are crowding around it. I also got some rabbit chews. I'll be donating them to the RSPCA along with my biggest rat igloo, since my boys aren't interested in it. They prefer squishing into boxes that barely hold them.

Richelieu, lying on his back in my hands with an almond in his mouth, glaring up at me for the indignity, is the most hilarious sight on the planet.

I'm going out tonight with a girlfriend to see another girlfriend perform in "How to succeed in business without really trying." I'm exhausted and feel pretty sick, but it should be a good night regardless. 

I cleaned my fish yesterday and trimmed back some of the hornwort in the big tank. It's wierd, being able to see all my fish again! It actually looks pretty good, because my java fern has gone wild and hides my filters really well. I'll have to get some new pictures. I still need to photograph Demeter and boy-fish!

I can't wait to get my ratty photos from Kylee.  I shall post them on here. She's a rat lover too, apparently, and wants some pictures of me with them. I've seen her photography and I reckon these will be excellent. You never know, maybe this is the start of my long-awaited career as a model. 

I think I shall marry Tom Hiddleston. I was watching a clip from _Miss Austen Regrets_ and mmmm, his voice. Delicious.

Anyway, time to go and clean the top half of the rat cage. The bottom half is lovely and clean now.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, I keep hearing things about it, so I want to write my opinion on gay marriage. I hope I don't offend anyone, but I believe everybody has a right to an opinion on it.

Two facts I want to establish from the start. Firstly, I am a Christian, and yes, I do believe homosexuality is wrong. Secondly, I am not a homophobe or a hater. I have homosexual friends and would never preach at them, mock or criticise their life choice, or discriminate against them in any other way. I am perfectly capable of seperating them from their homosexuality, because I will always define people by their personalities, not their sexuality. I think that is something everybody, from gay marriage advocates to gay marriage protestors, needs to remember. People's indentities are not (or should not be) tied up in their sexual choices. I don't approve of sex before marriage, either, but you'd never find me making my friendship choices based on that. To me, homosexuality is no worse a sin than sex before marriage, getting angry at someone, being selfish, anything like that. I think anti-gay groups massively overdramatise the issue.

It may come as a surprise, then, that I'm not opposed to gay marriage. I'm not going to run out into the street and support it, because it's legalising something I don't approve of, but I'm not going to join any protests either. 
People who claim that it will destroy the institution of marriage: I beg you to look around you. Kim Kardashian. Britney Spears. The divorce rate. Marriage as a scared institution has been thrown into the mud and trampled on. A loving union between two people of the same gender is not going to make it worse.
Governments who oppose it: you advocate equality in all other areas. I don't think you can rightfully deny them in this.

However, I do think it is a slippery slope. If you agree to the union of two consenting adults in a loving match regardless of gender, why not regardless of number? Polygamy is on the rise in Western society, and polygamous families are consenting individuals in a love match. Why not incest? Two sterile cousins, for instance, aren't going to produce any children, so the bloodlines aren't an issue. Two gays cousins even less so, or even gay siblings. I don't think you can use "it's just wrong" as an argument here without also opening that up as an argument against gay marriage.
Comparisons of homosexuality to pedophilia and beastiality are, of course, nonsense. That's not a consenting or a loving match. 

I will also object to homosexual marriage where it infringes on other people's rights. Please don't force a Muslim Inam or a Christian priest to marry a gay couple if it is against their beliefs. That's granting one right at the expense of another. Don't hate people who politely, calmly object to gay marriage without hating gay people. That's crushing freedom of speech and stifling opinion. 

Finally, I do not think this is comparable to apartheid. Homosexuals have (legally) all the same job opportunities and protections, rights, transport, homes, etc, as straight people. Whilst their treatment in the past has been barbaric, and I hate anyone who bullies or drives someone to suicide over anything, it is not the same widespread oppression. It's also a different matter, to me. Skin colour is a matter of race, which, like gender, is a physical attribute. Sexuality is not.
That being said, I want to reiterate that any kind of discrimination is wrong and I would never support it. 

So, that's my opinion. A qualified yes in favour of gay marriage, as long as it isn't oppressive. 
Mods, if you feel any of this content is not family friendly, please feel free to edit. 

Onto my actual journal, now I've got that off my chest:
Last night I went over to a girlfriend's house for dinner and post break-up gossip. Well, not gossip, but comfort. She plays her role in that (offering me chocolate, hugs and agreeing with me completely) very well. We had an amazing dinner - salmon quiche, roast sweet potato, boiled potata and salad with avocado and mushroom, which I can never have at home because my sister hates them.

My rats are looking extremely cute right now. Search Kaptured by Kylee on facebook and have a look at her rat photo. Mine will be that cute!


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Yum, cashews. Possibly my favourite nut. And when they aren't roasted and salted, they are healthy. 

So many things to do in the holidays! Here's a list of things I want to do:
- draw all of my bettas as merpeople
- scrapbook all my rats
- paints some landscapes
- draw some animals
- buy a new counted cross-stitch kit
- write some more of my Dracula script
- possibly turn my 16 gallon into an NPT
- write some of my story
- watch Iron Man 1&2, The Incredible Hulk and Captain America
- play Medieval Total War II
- make a medieval kingdom on Sims 2 (easier than on Sims 3!)
- bath those rats that need it
- maybe re-arrange the rat cage
- throw a birthday party for my boys
- practice lots of guitar
- apply for a job in a local legal office (?)
- go on an op-shop clothing crawl
- buy my sister's birthday presents
- tidy my desk and bedroom

That's enough to be going on with, I think.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

I really think you have an educated opinion on gay marriage. I think the laws in the U.S. have been so strange on this issue in the past. I am against marriage of any kind lately except my own. I am a divorcee and I tell you that you are totally correct on the institution of marriage being trampled upon. I was married too young and divorced a man who was cheating on me in Germany. 
I am now married to a wonderful trustworthy man who believes how I do about marriage being sacred. I have made mistakes in my past and I will always be willing to admit it but my life is different now. Anyways, now you have people being married for conveniences like getting tax breaks, staying in the country and the like. I know a woman who has been married three times and is not yet thirty. She wants to divorce him now because he has health issues and cannot perform as she wants to put it the nice way. 
I used to think that gay marriage was nothing more than an excuse to get free money from the government until it was still a big issue after the government gave them those rights without marriage. The only thing that bothered me was it was reverse discrimination. Until recently a girlfriend and boyfriend couldn't claim each other on taxes but a gay couple could (Correct me if I am wrong). 
To me that is just as wrong as not letting gay couples marry. I don't know but I am glad my opinion was changed on the subject of them making excuses. I feel ignorant now that I look back on it but life is full of lessons. I still don't agree with it because of my religious beliefs but I have no issue with what others do in their home. I have a right not to agree with it as much as they have a right to agree with thier actions. It's none of my business who another person falls in love with. Love is a personal and confusing thing. Who am I to tell them they can't love when they feel it inside? Great post. 
about your journal: Chocolate cures all ailments


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Thanks, Shirley.  I think studying law has influenced my ideas a lot. I believe in the seperation of church and state, but that works both ways. Just because something is legal doesn't mean it is in the eyes of God, and vice versa. I'm not sure why Christians object to gay marriage as a legal concept - just because they are married in law doesn't mean they are married in the eyes of the Lord. Similarly, there is an unmarried couple at my church with two children, who love each other very dearly. Legally, they aren't married (they can't afford a wedding, and they want to wait until they can do it properly) but I'm pretty sure they are married in the eyes of God. My point is, if you don't believe God will recognise gay marriage, why are you bothered about the law recognising it? Those are two totally seperate issues. 

Hope I didn't just go and spoil your opinion of my opinion.  

I just gave one of the Pesticles a grape for using the litter tray. He shoved it into his mouth and bounced gleefully off. So cute. I love my boys. 

The Cheezburger network has changed its website layout slightly! Confusion ensues!

I woke up this morning with a burning desire to draw metal bettas. 

I didn't get into trouble on Monday about guitar after all, because I managed to shut my fingers in a door and couldn't play. It was an accident, but it was nevertheless well-timed. On the downside, it hurt like a poke in the eye, and I kept catching the bruised parts on everything - my desk, more doors, a drawer, a cupboard...it never rains but it pours, as they say.

My mum is going to England in a few weeks to spend time with her mum. I'm quite jealous, because we haven't been back since Christmas 07. That's a long time to not see your grandparents in. More than that, I really miss the country. Australia is great and all, and I don't want to live in England again at the moment, but it is still such a part of my childhood. I miss the castles and the heaths, white swans, autumn, frost, crocuses, the pasty shop and the ice-cream shop on the pier, the mud, trees that you could actually climb (gum trees make terrible climbing trees), squirrels, birds that twitter at dawn instead of screeching. I've been in Australia 11 years now.

WOW. What is with the ads today? Right next to this text box, I have an ad for preventing separation, one for promoting it, and one encouraging guys to date married women. What is the world coming to?

I'm going to go to my final English lecture today instead of my property tutorial. It's not a strategically good decision, but I have great affection for my English class and this week, for funsies, we are doing a movie in which Tom Hiddleston acts. Rrrrr. _Miss Austen Regrets. _I haven't done the reading for Property anyway. I'll get together with my friends to practice some exam papers. 

My problem is, I'm so excited about the holidays that I'm not studying well. Stupid me.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

You didn't at all, actually you just gave me a good memory of my grandfather who passed away a year ago next month. He was a hardcore Christian and read the bible constantly. I was married once before like I said and I was depressed because you are only supposed to be married once. I struggled with it a lot and prayed and prayed. My grandfather told me this, "You were not married to him. God recognizes marriage of two hearts and two souls." He told me that I was not really married to my first husband in the eyes of God because we were not truly bonded to one another. I personally think that is the most important thing. Although we were married on paper my husband now is my first husband in my heart. we are bonded for life. I just think that the government gets to involved in family matters. Just like with the whole child discipline issue. I don't mind if they stick their nose in child abuse but they have no right to tell a parent how to correct thier kid. Just like marriage, if it is affecting all parties involved like abuse does by all means step in. I don't stick my nose where is doesn't belong in a persons personal issues. I don't agree with gay marriage but it isn't an issue I am ready to climb a tower and start shooting for. I am not going to tell someone who they can and can't love. My mother-in-law has a view I thought was interesting on it. She says, "the bible says we can judge the act but not the person" I don't know if that is true but it's an interesting concept. 
In law school did they require you to take electives that were strange to you? I am wondering because I am in business and I have taken marriage and family and soon to be psychology. I understand psychology because in business you have to use a little to do what you need to do but marriage and family? I have only been in school two years so I haven't learned all the weirdness yet.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

It's not really an elective if they require you to take it...we have the core courses: tort law, criminal law, public law, that kind of thing (we have two compulsory courses per semester for the first 2.5 years, then one compulsory course and one elective per semester for the remaining 2.5 years). The electives can be whatever we choose. So far I've structured my timetable so that I've focussed on getting my compulsories out of the way, so I've only done one elective. It was Health Law and Bioethics, which was brilliant. My other two courses every semester make up my Arts courses. For English, which is my major, you just have two first year courses (you can choose from a small range) and then whatever courses you like, as long as they are from the English faculty or a related school. 

Had my final Jane Austen lecture and tutorial yesterday. It was super fun. We talked about adaptions and films etc, including Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. In tutorials we discussed the perfect man of that era and why the books are still so popular. I forgot to mention that I am currently reading a terrible yet brilliant-in-its-terribleness Pride and Prejudice fan fiction: _Mr Darcy, Vampyre_. Yep, you can guess how that goes. Apparently there are more than 70 P&P published fan fictions, and more than 100 Jane Austen fan fictions total. I'm going to miss that class. 

After lecture I met up with my sister, had coffee, got recruited for a modelling class, changed degrees into a new programme (same degree, different structure), bought Batman: Year One, and borrowed some Jane Austen library books. 

The modelling class was actually really fun, so I'll stick with it. The teacher is the cutest Korean girl (professional model), but her English is limited so another girl translates for her. The girls in the class are all really lovely. It started with standing against a wall for about 5 minutes to get our posture right, and then walking, breaking the walk down into steps. I only fell over all the way once, and I had a table to brace myself on, which was good. Hopefully this class will improve by posture and my balance. It also focuses on self-improvement inside - we talked about our talents and our failings. Thinking of a talent was hard, because I'm kind of a jack-of-all-trades, but I eventually landed on my patience with animals. Thinking of a flaw was just as difficult, because I have way too many to choose from.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

Okay, makes sense. Mines a private University so they let you drop any of the electives but the catch is, you can only join another class if their is room. If not you don't get the credits and have to make them up. They pick your electives. One of the classes I liked that was mandatory was the Bible study ones. They were interesting and I learned a lot of new things I didn't know. 

I used to model years ago. It was kind of fun. I modeled for Cheerios for meetings where they tryed to get investors. I was about 4 and it was runway. I had to carry a box and say "O O Cheerios!" lol. Then I modeled a little when I was a teen but I didn't like it. Especially when I did an outdoor shoot and a guy walked onto the set while the photographer was working and gave me his number! I felt a little creeped out after that. Ew.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I don't know if I'll get so pro as to model for Cheerios! Right now I just need to focus on not falling over lots.  

Work last night was not too bad - the staff who run the desk upstairs are getting thoroughly fed up of that child I hate, and his parents, who refuse to acknowledge his massively poor behaviour, so he might finally get banned. Hope work tonight is not too bad. 
My boss was telling me that the other night she was in the club on the poker machines, when a guy who has flirted with me a couple of times came up to her and flirted all night. Apparently I'm too tall for him, which is fine, because he was too short for me, and also fine because he is engaged with two children. Why the heck is he flirting with anybody?
Oh, the perils of being a tall woman. At least at 5'10" I have it easier than my 6'1 1/2" younger sister. 
Tom Hiddleston is taller than me.  

I finished _Mr Darcy, Vampyre _last night. It was still awful. I also saw an amusing youtube clip today of Buffy vs Edward Cullen. She kicked his sparkly backside. Damn, he is creepy in the movies. I don't mind him in the books, and I don't mind Robert Pattenson or whatever his name is in Harry Potter, but ew in Twilight.
Still need to see those movies.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

whats wrong with being tall I'm 5'9?


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## shadowpony (Apr 15, 2012)

I feel like a midgit now. Maybe it was holding my grandfather's HUGE spinning rod while he put a hook on mine (stupid bluegill swollowed the hook). The things lik 10 feet long. You tall people dont help.


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

I'm sorry  Nothing wrong with being short though! My granny was 4'11


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

So, I've decided to keep going with this after my massive extended absence and subsequent fit of laziness!

What's been happening in my life of late? Well, last night I went to a friend's album launch (everybody on facebook, check out Cromwell!). It was a bunch of fun. It's the first time I've ever been to a club, even though I've been legally able to for 4 years. It's just never appealed - drunk people, bad music, that part of town late at night...anyway, this club was totally different. The music was good (because Cromwell!), people weren't roaring drunk, and it was the kind of club where you sit around tables and have a good chat rather than dance like a...person with fairly liberal moral standards, to put it one way. The whole thing just has a hipsterXold world vibe with all kinds of funky decoration. It also has an older clientele - most clubs seem to cater to the only-just-18 group, but this one was mostly early 20s, up to some people in their 40s, and one old couple. 
It just so happens I ended up sat next to a guy who used to work for one of my employers! This is a tiny city. His conversation was interesting, his face was pleasant to observe, and we swapped numbers so it looks like the acquaintance will continue. 

Outside the club, the other, less classy clubs were beginning to kick out, so there was no shortage of rabble on the streets, but nothing bad happened apart from some strange people trying to talk to me (funny how that stops when I put my motorbike gear on). 

I didn't drink a drop, but my head is absolutely splitting today and my throat is raw from trying to hold conversations in that environment, but I don't regret going.

What else has been happening, other than last night?
Well, I've started another sorority after my last one died out. I've lost two girls - one to a tumour, and one who has simply vanished (really upset about that!). 
I've been asked out by a Canadian dude, back in December, but I never did manage to find time to go out with him and now he's gone back to Canada.
Over the summer I held down 4 jobs and did summer school. I'm down to 3 now, which is more manageable, but am considering quitting one as I do not enjoy it that much.
I'm now in my final year of udergraduate study! This semester's course of special interest is Animals and the Law. I've made a new friend, which makes me happy. 
I've started reading Game of Thrones.
I'm still obsessed with Batman and the Avengers (and Tom Hiddleston).

That's all for now, folks!


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Got shiny new shoes yesterday (gortex trail runners that I can also wear to work). 
D'Artagnan is having his final nebulisation today. 
Odysseus's fins are growing back.
Water changed both tanks.

Most excitingly: the pond is in!


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Well, once again, it has been a while, and a lot has changed.

Odysseus died very suddenly, presumably of old age. His fins were looking amazing again, and I was so upset to lose him. He was my special boy. 

My sorority is down to four girls.

The pond is set up, with two new shubunkins and my sister's comet. I built my own filter, which works wonderfully, but the pump powering it broke.

I have taken over the goldfish's tank and turned it into a pretty NPT. Still debating what to do with the old sorority tank. At the moment, it has two ember tetras and some RCS, and looks really bad because I pulled all of the plants out.

I am going to quit my retail job next roster.


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