Exams again and the power of words

Time period: 2009 sem 1 exams, week 2

I've been following Kat's (Fyffe) blog for the past couple of days and it's incredible to read what goes on in her mind. It feels like as if I've been interacting with her when I haven't physically seen her (or interacted with her properly) probably since summer really, but did once at Broadway at uni when she was hanging with Josh a few weeks back. It feels like I can connect with what she's feeling now about their breakup because of her posts.

That reminded me of my old blog I started with livejournal because Kat uses that, (no surprise that it was starting during a period I was working on a major assignment...procrastination) and so I flicked to it. The posts then (old as 2005) was able to hit me as well. It's strange how words can communicate the inner thoughts. Even words as old as that. This reminds me that even more so incredible is the power of the word of God, even more ancient stuff that is very much alive and cuts the heart at all levels!

On a thought level I guess I'll mention (no one reads this anyway) that a friend (that I consider a friend of significance) who I felt has been aloof the past few months is back! During the aloof period it felt like there was a massive canyon/void between us that for some reason sometime I felt cut. I hope that he doesn't go aloof again as there is really only the remainder of this year left where we are both on the same campus. It's harder to maintain contact when circumstances and lifestyle changes. However it's great to have him back for now in which I have happily commented twice to him.

Exams. Done a lot of other things.

Exams. Procrastination. Videos. Youtube. Google. In the midst of exams I've been utterly unproductive when it comes to study. However with other things I've done a lot of. Done a lot meaning being distracted by doing a lot of other things to avoid study. As for googling I don't know why but recently googled inters camp and found that overseas Christian camps are running labled as Inters Camp. It's awesome. I stumbled across this guy's blog that mentioned about an inters camp he was at. I saw another blog which had the same camp name. It's so good to know and read that there are other Christian leaders willing to lead kids, have fun and learn more about God's word.

Another inters camp site lead me to an interview with Chris Tomlin that show how simple the song "How Great is our God" is yet so powerful. Finally a CD, I can purchase from Koorong or Word, that will guarantee me at least a couple of great songs in the album because of the artist and the video I've seen of him demonstrating and singing 'How Great is our God'.

Also last night I finally won an ebay item that was on a bid. I never win items that have to be bidded. However it all changed last night. It was just a t-shirt, but I won!

Internet Purchases

Internet shopping frenzy has been occuring lately. I've been checking Zazz nearly everyday and last week I purchased a flying alarm clock and it's come through today. I hope it really helps me get out of bed in the morning as I am notoriously terrible in the mornings. I also did an impulse purchase for an Aladdin Soundtrack CD off ebay for Nathan's birthday which I was not present at his party because I was in Geraldton that weekend. And finally I think it was yesterday or the day before I also ebayed a gorillapod. It will come in handy for Bustrip on the way to SPRTE in Canberra end of this year. I might be able to hang off my camcorder somewhere in the bus and we can have a diarycam happening. It'd be interesting to see the change in people's energy and faces over the 2-3days of travel.

Better hit the sack, I've tested out the new alarm clock but it's different when it starts wailing when you're asleep. A little bit scared as to how I'd react...

Giant Pencils Discovered at Albany Field Trip

Oceanography Group Amongst Giant Pencils

Strong Winds

Suitable conditions for a wind farm

I returned from a week long field trip in Albany a week ago. Learnt, field techniques in particular to do with physical oceanography, deploying drifters, collecting water samples and analysing samples, CTD drops, using the ADCP (acoustic dopler current profiler) wave height to measure tides etc. Oyster Harbour was our study site in which we spent two days out in the field collecting data. The weather was a restriction which meant less days out collecting data. However going through some data today made realise we are better off with less data because we have fair bit of data to sort and analyse. I am not looking forward to putting together the report that is worth 50%. The informal group talks was a great way to learn what the other group projects were and techniques they used to collect their data.

I managed to get to know the SESE students a bit more and learnt to play VC (Vietnamese Cards), similar to Presidents but with more combination of moves and suites are accounted for. CUers have been dominating the Village Cafe at uni playing cards and it's another reminder how effective cards can entertain people who may not be the best of friends but connected in some way or another.

We saw giant pencils, had close encounters with pelicans, visited the wind farm, blowhole and the gap. The winds are incredibly strong in Albany however the temperature never reached extreme lows or highs. The Albany Port view was spectacular at Camp Quaranup (where we stayed).

A fair few were sick and I caught the bug as soon as I returned back to Perth. The trend went something like this, fever->sore throat->flemmy throat->coughing up flem->blowing nose. No rest gives the bugs opportunity to attack. I'm on the road to recovery and had a very quiet weekend which was quite the contrary to the weekend when returning from Albany.

In all, the field trip was worth the $200 as I absorbed a bit of everything, from educational, listening to talks, site seeing, interacting with people and captured some nice shots. God has been gracious to ensure our safety during the entire ordeal.

My stealth got me within 1m of these massive pelicans

One of the Great Views at Camp Quaranup

Jesse - a review

"Jesse" by Corin Gills

I read this online story in one sitting. Therefore I didn't get to bed till close to 7 in the morning!

I enjoyed reading it because there is a Christian element behind it (very God honouring!) and I was able to relate to it because most of the story was set around a summer bible camp. Having been a major Serps INTERS (and Seniors when it was still running back in our day) camp goer during highschool and now leading these camps, also sparked my interest to start reading the story.

In summary it is about a young adult Christian girl who was raped four months prior to leading the summer camp and being challenged by making the brave choice to carry the baby throughout the story. She faces trials that come with the responsibilities of pregnancy (which meant giving up things she had planned for her life before), having to make a decision whether to give up the baby for adoption or to keep her/him once he/she was born despite knowing she may not be financially stable and would be a single mother, and at the same time being a head cabin leader amongst of her Christian peers.

There are some questionable approaches (how realistic it would be if it was a true story) the author took to how the story played out with the conclusion, however I won't reveal it here to ruin the story.

It is recommended if you would like to see how a Christian continues to pursue God even when life seems to be turning against you..."Where was God to protect me at the time I was ________" (insert a major trial you faced some time in your life or are facing now).

Has Bono Got It Right?

I've heard about Harrison Olang being one of those really awesome speakers that captivates the audience and he's also funny too! I'm looking forward to this event this Tuesday night at Rivo church. If you're in Perth you're interested to hear him speak about Freedom for Africa..the World you're more than welcome to come.

Getting The Work Boots Dirty

Alot has happened in the past month and a half since I last posted.

Quick updates about work:

1. My first site visit ever occurred end(ish) of June. The road trip involved Michael Smith and Yi, (both have left SGA since then). I didn't have the right PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) at the time but we were driving along public roads so no one 'important' was in sight to tell us off.

Image 1.1: Posing in a drain so that the size of the culvert behind me could be roughly measured.


Image 1.2: One of the major drains along the southern section of the alignment Yi had to measure to calculate her catchment areas and model whatever she was doing.


Image 1.3: The work I've been in the past 3 months has been designing drainage incase no one has caught the drift in the images. So here's an image of a pretty small box culvert in which sediment has been building up over the years.


Image 1.4: We saw many of these along the way and visited the beach on the way back.

I discovered that lunch can be claimed when you go on site visits. The lunch stop prior to the beach was at Ravenswood.

2. Since then it's been back at the office with people leaving (Yi and Michael) and doing the drainage design on lot 21.3 Paganoni Road upgrade. It was a good experience as it wasn't too complex of a road and I learnt how to design pipe networks and also going through the experience of writing up the 30% design report. Last week the squad check submission has been returned and I've had to re-adjust parts of the design as we are having problems with one of the low points on the road where it's very close to the GWL (ground water level).

Permeability Testing images

Image left: The infiltrometer test
Image centre: The chainage we were at the time for that very time, which is at the very southern part of the entire alignment. I was close to Bunbury!
Image right: The outer ring is to keep the ground on the outside of the centre ring saturated so that the inner ring is infiltrating directly downwards and the measure of water flow is kept within the area of the inner ring. I don't think I explained myself very well...

I have also been working on a more complex part of the freeway which came to a halt. This occurred when I was sent down on-site again to assist technicians from Western Geotechnics to the locations where we wanted testing to be done to determine the permeability of the ground. It was a lot more scarier as I was on my own and had to lead the way and contact the foremens' onsite and ask for permission to get onto the alignment etc. Even better I got to drive the Prado and the LV and for a whole weekend had the LV at home since I was heading down south the next day.

Other bonuses: Received the last of my PPE which is a pair of steel cap boots!

Now it's back at the office working on the drainage on the freeway as I have been given the indicator of the urgency of a design to come through having recently sat in a meeting with John (Northern Manager), Graeme (Northern Senior Team leader), Tim Tucak (Senior Drainage Eng) and Raymond (Senior Drainage Eng who's leaving in 2 days) I am a bit freaked out because I feel I am slow and do not know how to work out the problematic areas.