Long time, no write..

So much time has passed since my last entry here you'd think I'd have a million things to write about! Well, unfortunately, that's not the case. Pretty much this entire year has consisted of me doing the same old thing, day in, day out. However, in the passed few weeks I think I've finally started to get somewhere and form some kind of idea as to what I'm actually going to do next year..

I used to want to write, and I'm not ruling it out entirely, but for now that's just not what I want to do. I then started toying with the idea of perhaps studying psychology, cos I do have quite an interest in that area. But again, I can't see myself wanting to do that right now. Then I figured I need to sit down and think about what I'm interested in and what I can see myself enjoying. It didn't take very long for me to come to the conclusion that if I'm ever going to settle down I need to first get travelling out of my system. And for those that know me, they all know that the one place I've been itching to visit is Canada. Whether that mean I move to Canada for a few years and study or work there, or just simply take a trip there, I don't know. All I do know is that until I've actually been there, I'm going to constantly imagine some sort of life over there that I don't have here in Australia. With this in mind a few ideas started to take shape. The one that sits most comfortably with me, in the long run, is to perhaps do flight attending, or some kind of work that involves working at an airport. I love everything about airports and can definitely see it as being an environment I would enjoy working in.

With this being the 'dream' at the moment, it gives me something to at least start aiming towards and it gives me motivation to actually find courses I might be interested in doing. One reason why travelling and airports appeal to me so much is because I love languages. A part from my own keen interest in learning another language, this gives me the perfect incentive to go out and actually learn a second language, or at least the fundamentals. Having done Japanese at a VCE level, I'd love to continue on with that, as well as also taking up French. After all, French ties into my Canadian obsession as I really want to spend some time in Quebec. I understand that there are some differences between French and French Canadian, but knowing some basic French would be better than knowing nothing at all.

Now that I've actually been able to figure out what I'm interested in doing, it's been much easier to go out and start looking for ways to make this happen. Today I went to the Youth Information Centre in town and explained my situation to the lady there, about how I'm a deferred university student who doesn't really want to go down that track and if she could point me in the right direction to something more suited to what I want to do. She was very helpful and gave me a booklet full of short courses at Chisholm TAFE, which is exactly the type of thing I was looking for. University holds no interest for me.. I hated school and can't bring myself to go back to that sort of education. I don't want to be locked into a a 4 year course at university. The idea of that just freaks me out. I'd much rather a series of short courses that I have the option of furthering if I wish to. Chisholm offer short courses at various different levels for both Japanese and French, which is fantastic. It means I can start with the very basics of French and progress however I want to. Ultimately I'll still be learning these languages, just in a way that I'm more comfortable with. Also, there's hospitality courses that I think I would benefit from doing, such as a Bar Attendants course or Responsible Serving of Alcohol. It wouldn't hurt to at least have these skills up my sleeve. Not to mention there's also a course for Flight Attendant Interview Training, so down the track that could very well come in handy.

This is pretty much where I am at the moment in terms of my ideas for schooling and what I want to do next year. I'm also still in the progress of looking for a job. It has not been easy at all! I know the fact that I'm so incredibly picky doesn't help, but still, I think I might be getting somewhere. I've handed my resume out to places that are looking for applicants. I don't want to get my hopes up, because with my luck I shouldn't expect anything, but I'm really hoping to get a job at Sanity. Of all the places that I've applied, that's the one I really want. Again, it's about feeling comfortable in my work environment, and I'd feel so comfortable working at a music store! So fingers crossed.

Onto something that's even more exciting than my future (that was sarcasm, by the way. My future is not exciting..), I have tickets to see Simple Plan in October! Let me tell you, I haven't felt this excited for something in a very long time! As a member of the SP Crew, I've also been able to put my name down to get on the list to their soundcheck party before the concert! Oh, if I get to see them twice in one day.. it'll blow my mind. I simply cannot wait for this show! Honestly, this band is the source of my current motivation. I owe quite a lot to these five guys. I could go on forever about my excitement levels for this coming show, so I'm going to save you from my insanity by shutting up now.

Like It's My Birthday!

Guess what I have planned for next Wednesday 13th April? Let me give you a hint;
I'm going to see Good Charlotte!

I'm SO excited!! Good Charlotte are that band who have been around the longest for me and who I have stuck with from the very beginning. I've been a fan of them since the age of 8, so to finally see them live is huge for me. I'm taking my brother along seeing as how he's also a fan of them. I had planned on getting tickets much earlier as a Christmas/birthday present for him, however, there were no floor tickets available anymore and I really didn't want seating. So I never ended up buying any tickets. HOWEVER, I randomly checked Ticketek again today and for some reason it no longer said "allocation exhausted" for standing tickets. So I was like, "HELL YEAH!", and bought two tickets. I suppose you could say it was a little bit of a spontaneous purchase, lol. Nevertheless, it was a very worthwhile purchase!

Jack doesn't know I've got tickets and I don't plan on telling him until I actually have the tickets in my hand to show him. For now he just knows that we're going out somewhere next Wednesday and that he has to keep that night free. He thinks we're going to some movie premiere or something, lol. As long as he thinks that, I'm not going to tell him otherwise, lol.

My best friend also likes Good Charlotte, so I asked if she wanted to come along, and she said yes! Out of all the bands I listen to, Good Charlotte is probably one of the few that we actually have in common, so I figured this would be a good opportunity for us to finally be able to go to a gig together.

It's going to be an awesome night, I just know it will be!

Bands, Birthdays, Baking and Beyond!

Today I found myself, for the first time, entering the Flight Centre at my local shopping complex to finally book my flights to Sydney! HOORAY! It's now official; I will be travelling to Sydney for the Soundwave Festival!

However, seeing as how Soundwave is only a one-day event per capital city, I shall be venturing off to do other things during my week-long stay. On the day of my arrival, myself and the person with whom I am staying with will be waiting back at the airport in the hope that we might catch 30 Seconds To Mars as they arrive for Soundwave. If not, we shall attempt to meet them after their set at the gig. Again, if we fail to meet them after the show, we have planned to try and stalk them around the city, lol. (Seriously, it would be amazing if we could actually meet them. I mean, Jared Leto in the flesh.. hnng!)

On the 1st of March I will then be accompanying Evelyn, my Sydney muser sister, to see Sum 41! Sum 41's show is a Sidewave (a Soundwave sideshow) that will also include The Blackout, There For Tomorrow, and Veara. . As well as experiencing some more awesome music, I will finally be seeing Ev again; something that I cannot wait for!

Then, as far as I am aware, my free accommodation will run out on March 2nd, as the person with whom I am staying with will be travelling down to Melbourne to continue her 30 Seconds To Mars hunt! So that leaves me in need of somewhere to stay. What I have planned is to catch a bus up to where Grace lives which, mind you, is a 7.5hr trip! Hopefully I'll get there by 3pm-ish so that I can pick my friend up from school! (I've never actually met Grace before, so this will be my first time meeting her; and how do I go about our first meet-up? Why, picking her up from school, of course!) Then, if it's okay with her parents, I'll spend the night at her house; because a 7.5hr trip back into the city at the time of the day would be ridiculous for someone who doesn't know the area! So then on March 3rd I'll book into a backpackers hostel where I'll stay for 2 nights.

The plan is then to meet up with all the Sydney musers on March 5th; the first time a lot of us will all be together again since December 14/15 at the Muse shows in Melbourne! And, for those musers who didn't come down to Melbourne, this will be the first time I get to meet them all, and vice versa. Then afterwards I'll head straight to the airport to catch my flight back home to Melbourne.

So pretty much I'm looking forward to this trip a lot! I'll be independent and travelling solo! Not to mention I'll be in the presence of insane music and amazing people!!

That's my trip planned for next week; but while in Melbourne I still have things to do this week..

Tomorrow is my friend Elly's 18th birthday! Friday afternoon just gone I spent with Emma and Kaitlyn making Elly a photoboard for her birthday, which looks fabulous! And today I spent the day with Emma, and Kailtlyn for part of the day, putting the remaining photos into a scrapbook. Scrapbooks and photoframes/boards are something that my group of friends tend to do for one another when our birthdays come around. It mightn't sound like much but, believe me, they really look good. And it's nice to have something like that to look back on. Elly is also going for her drivers licence tomorrow, so I really hope she gets that! Then, if we can sort something out, a bunch of us might take Elly out for some drinks, seeing as how she'll officially be legal! However, Thursday night will be Elly's official birthday dinner, so either way we'll all be getting together to do something for her :)

Also, while at Emma's this evening, after the beautiful lunch that Kaitlyn made for us during the day, Emma and I decided to make an Orange Cake. I had to leave before it had finished baking, but according to the feedback I've heard from Emma, her family approved of it! So now we've caught the Baking Bug and tomorrow during the day we've said we'll go on a baking spree! In order to do that though I'll have to get up relevantly early, which in my case means before 11am, so that I'll be able to walk down to the shops so I can get some ingredients to cook with! Depending on how it all turns out, I might post some pictures of whatever creations I come up with, lol.

However, for now that's all; just thought I'd post a little bit of an update cos it's been a while since I posted a random update, lol.

Sydney Soundwave 2011, here I come!

So, tickets for the 2011 Soundwave Festival in Sydney have been purchased! I do live in Melbourne, so this will require a little bit of a trip! However, I have accomodation sorted out, all thanks to a very lovely echelon member. Together we will be on 'Jared Watch', which pretty much means we will be stalking Jared Leto for as long as 30 Seconds To Mars are in Sydney.

Incase you haven't noticed yet, I'm going so that I can see 30 Seconds To Mars and Jared Leto live in all their glory! I'm very much looking forward to it! I'm also wanting to see Sum 41! They're the two bands I cannot miss out on! Avenged Sevenfold was also in that mix, until they pulled out. However there are still some other amazing bands I'd like to see should the timetable allow for it, those bands being; New Found Glory, Bullet For My Valentine, Pennywise, Coheed and Cambria, Less Than Jake, MxPx, Mayday Parade, Breathe Carolina and, perhaps just because I'm curious, The Blackout, Primus and Iron Maiden. I do know that I won't be able to see all of them, but as many as possible would be great!

It should be an amazing trip! While in NSW I shall also be meeting up with some of my interstate musers, (ie, Evelyn!), so that should also be awesome! This will be the first time I've travelled by myself, completely solo and, I plan on being in Sydney for about 8 days, so it'll be a nice little holiday filled with insane music, amazing people and away from reality. I cannot wait!

Interpol live at The Palace Theatre, Melbourne

January 7, 2011: Interpol at The Palace Theatre, Melbourne

Knowing of Interpol but having only previously heard some of their music, it's safe to say I was feeling a little bit out of my comfort zone. However, accompanying Ash to see her second favourite band was awesome. I had an amazing time! It didn't matter that I didn't know all the lyrics to the songs, it just had a really good vibe. The support act, Bridezilla, surprisingly captivated me. I think I might have to go and search out some of their music. But the main act, Interpol, were amazing. They're a really good live band! They have energy and charisma and are very appreciative of their fans; everything you want from a live performance!

The setlist for the night:

1. Success

2. Sat Hello To The Angels

3. Leif Erikson

4. Narc

5. Summer Well

6. Rest My Chemistry

7. Evil

8. Mammoth

9. The New

10. Barricade

11. Lights

12. Obstacle 1

13. Memory Serves

14. Take You On A Cruise

15. Slow Hands

Encore

16. NYC

17. PDA

18. Not Even Jail

EDIT: Photos still to come

2010 Wrap-Up!

It’s come to that time of the year again where I cosy in and reflect upon the year that was. With so much having happened this year it’s hard to know where to begin so, I’ll do what’s easiest, and start at the beginning.

It’s safe to say that the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 was one of the worst introductions into a new year that my family has had in a long time. Within the space of four months we had three deaths within our family. December 21, January 24 and March 1 saw the unfortunate loss of Uncle Eddy, Aunty Mary and Grandpa, respectively. It was a very difficult period for the entire extended family, however, more specifically, it was extremely difficult for my Grandma who lost her son, her sister and her husband. The sudden loss of three family members took its toll on everyone in a number of different ways and, regrettably, due to legal reasons, certain issues were dragged out longer than necessary, hence prolonging the grieving period. I know that for me personally I will always be affected by certain things that will trigger memories or take me back to a time when I could still see my loved ones as I wished, however I know that that is completely normal, and for as long as I hold onto my memories of them they will never be forgotten, living on forever in hearts of those who they touched.

Also in January I finally got my learners permit. I may have been 2 years late on actually sitting the test, but at least I passed it and earned my right to drive on the roads. As a learner I have to have my permit for a minimum of one year before I can go for my driver’s license. On top of that I also have to have a minimum of 120 hours of driving practise. Keeping all of this in mind I set myself a goal; to get at least 10 hours of driving up a month so that by the time my one year is up I’ll have my 120 hours. Well, luckily for me, I had my 120 hours up within 10 months, so all I need now is to book some lessons before my instructor feels I am ready to go for my license. Not that I am in any rush of course. I don’t have my own car and I don’t really have anywhere I need to drive to that public transport can’t get me to. I’m just hoping that by sometime in February I’ll have my license.

2010 also saw me enter my final year at high school, the most important year, becoming a year 12 VCE student at St.Peter’s College. It was a year of my schooling that, for the first time in my life, I wasn’t looking forward to in the slightest. Usually before I return to school each year I want nothing more than for school holidays to last forever, however, there’s normally a part of me that actually wants to go back. This time though, as I prepared myself to start off my last year, there wasn’t a single ounce of my being that wanted to be back at school. Consequently, I spent my entire year wishing for it to be over and just trying to make it by, one day at a time. Admittedly there were moments when I enjoyed being at school, like if there was a certain topic we were studying that I had an interest in or if we were learning something that I actually wanted to learn about. And, of course, being able to spend every day with my friends is a big bonus! (Probably the very best thing about being at school!) But, other than that, I would arrive at school every morning just counting down the hours until the bell sounded to go home. I began the school year in the wrong mind frame and with no motivation and, as a result, I was never going to have a productive year unless I changed my mentality. As much as I wanted to change my approach to school, the desire wasn’t strong enough, so basically I just ‘got by’. I always knew that I had the potential to do better than what I was doing and, that when the time came at the end of the year for everyone sit exams and get our ATAR scores, I knew I would regret the minimal effort I put into my school work. Luckily for me though, according to everyone else, I have enough ‘natural intelligence’ and I was able to get a reasonable ATAR score. So all in all I suppose I did what I had to in order to pass VCE and successfully complete my formal education.

The first school holidays, during the month of March, is when I think my world got turned up-side-down slightly. My family went away for a basketball tournament that Jack was playing in and, seeing as how I didn’t want to go, I got to spend that time at home by myself! During my days of freedom I watched a lot of TV (even if the only TV I watched was Muse’s HAARP DVD on repeat, all day, every day) and I spent a lot of time online. And this is where I found myself slowly emerging myself, oblivious at the time to the long-term consequences, into a world that I would never return from. It all started when I was randomly looking through some music websites until I stumbled across an MTV poll, what for I don’t remember, between My Chemical Romance and Muse. I picked my side and set out to gain votes for Muse. The first place I went to try and recruit voters was Twitter by copying and pasting a little note attached with the link to the voting page. People began replying to me and before I knew it I found myself in the middle of this online community that I had no idea even existed! In no time at all I had a whole new following on Twitter consisting primarily of Musers; the term given to the dedicated following of British alternative rock band, Muse. From Twitter this online community took me to the Muse forums on muse.mu where I officially became a ‘boardie’. I spent the rest of the Easter holidays talking to these people and getting to know them and, from that moment on, I have never looked back. To this day I am still friends with all those musers, even having met up with them at the Muse concert in December. It would be an understatement to say that my fascination with these British rockers has consumed my life, but I honestly don’t care. I owe so much to them for giving me inspiration when I needed it and providing me with hope when my outlook was bleak. I honestly feel as if Muse changed my life. Most importantly though, had it not been for Muse, I wouldn’t have come across some of the most amazing people I know. So for that and so much more I am truly grateful.

May 9, 2010: Supernatural All Hell Breaks Loose II Convention! This was definitely a dream come true for me. I finally got to meet some of the cast members of my all time favourite television show! Unfortunately Jared and Jensen were unable to attend; however, we were graced with the presence of Samantha Ferris (Ellen Harvelle), Rob Benedict (Chuck) and Julie McNiven (Anna), Jim Beaver (Bobby Singer) and, last but not least, Misha Collins (Castiel). Joining me at the convention was Emma and Bonnie, two fellow Supernatural enthusiasts like me! We spent the day asking questions and listening to the stories that the cast would share with us. It’s very true what people say about the Supernatural cast; they are without a doubt some of the most down-to-earth celebrities you could ever come across. They were funny and intelligent and simply a great bunch of people to spend the day with. After the Q&A sessions we were given the opportunity to have professional photos taken with the cast member/s of our choice. I got a photo with Misha and then a photo with Jim! I remember my photo with Misha very clearly. We were told not to attack the actors with hugs unless they went in for the hug first. I had no intention of attacking Misha; however, as I went to put my arm out so I could be on his left side, Misha interpreted that as me wanting a hug. He then went in for the hug and, not knowing what else to do, I followed his lead. But due to the awkward position we then found ourselves in, the result was the most awkward hug in the history of hugs. I put my arm around him and my head kind of leant forward into his shoulder. Essentially, I nuzzled into Misha Collin’s shoulder, lol. And after all that I still ended up on his right side, lol. Afterwards, because we had some money left over, Bonnie, Emma and I pitched in to get a photo with Rob. Later on in the day, the last item on the agenda was the opportunity to get signatures. I ended up with a signed photo with Misha Collins and a signed photo with Rob Benedict. Rob was very kind! Emma, Bonnie and I had our names on a sticky note so that Rob knew how to spell our names; however, we didn’t tell him who was who. So Rob tried to guess which name belonged to each of us. It was quite funny. Then, as he was signing, he was thinking to himself how to finish his message to us and we were saying to him, “how about ‘love from Rob’, ‘thinking of you always’, ‘see you later on tonight’?” Rob just started laughing at us, lol. After he was finished he asked us if we wanted the sticky notes back but we said he could keep them and, as we walked away, we saw him stick the sticky notes to himself and keep them there for the remainder of the signing time! The day spent at the Supernatural Convention really was one of the best days of my life!

With June came my 18th birthday. Never having been one for big celebrations I decided to just have a simple get-together with a few of my friends for lunch at my house. It was nothing fancy but it was nice to have my friends around to celebrate. On the night of the 13th Emma and Elly stayed over so that they could be there with me when I officially turned 18. It was very sweet of them and, at exactly 12am, we cut my birthday cake; a Freddo Frog Ice-Cream Cake! I wasn’t the only one to turn 18 this year though. Beginning with Bec in May and ending with Emma in December, 2010 was the year that majority of my friends and I all became legal! We still have a few people in our group who are yet to cross over into official and legal adulthood, however when their time comes, I guarantee that it’ll go off just as everyone else’s has. Of course, with legality came a few privileges, like being able to drink alcohol and go out clubbing! Not that I’m really one for clubbing, in fact, I can’t stand it. However, get a few drinks into me and I’m more than willing to show off my moves on the dance floor, lol. Not that I even have any ‘moves’, lol. It has been fun though, regardless of whether it’s my ‘thing’ or not. Just being out with your mates and having a good time, that’s all that really matters.

July 4, 2010: The Vampire Diaries Convention. Taking place in the same auditorium at Melbourne University as the Supernatural Convention was held, Emma and I got to meet the cast members of the television show, The Vampire Diaries. The events of the day took place in very much the same fashion as the Supernatural convention in May. At this convention, though, we were lucky enough to meet the three main stars of the show, Nina Dobrev (Elena), Paul Wesley (Stefan) and Ian Somerhalder (Damon). Looking back on the day I remember how gorgeous and smart Nina was, how ripped Paul’s arms were and how incredibly intelligent and passionate Ian was. Emma and I got photos together; one with Ian and one with Paul. As we walked towards Ian to get our photo taken he looked at us both and said “look, two tall fine lovely ladies”. Gosh, that sent Emma and me into a spin, lol. Later on we then got our photo with Ian signed. These conventions are such a great opportunity to get up close and personal with the actors and actresses of your favourite television shows and I hope that I get to attend more of them in the near future!

2010 was also the year that I got to attend four concerts in the space of 3 months, even if 2 of the gigs were for the same band, lol. October 13, December 1, December 14 and December 15 were the dates I got to see Paramore at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, U2 at Etihad Stadium and Muse x2 at Rod Laver Arena, respectively. All three acts were incredible all in their own regards. Going to these gigs has made me want to go to more concerts more frequently! However, that would mean I need to get a job so I have to money to be able to do these things… There’s no question about it, Muse was my favourite act. I couldn’t possibly go into detail now about my Musing adventures because it would honestly take up too much time. I recommend you visit this post (link to be posted later) if you want to read all about Muse. And this one if you want to read about U2.

While on the subject of Muse I’ll take this opportunity to mention my meeting Muse at Melbourne airport earlier this month. On December 12, my fellow musers and myself went to the airport to try and meet Muse as they arrived in Melbourne for their Melbourne leg of the Resistance Tour. It must have been our lucky day because the boys did indeed arrive that day and we were able to stop them, talk with them and get photos. It was easily one of the greatest days of my entire life! I unfortunately was unable to get a photo with Matt or even talk with him for that matter, but I was able to talk and get photos and signatures from Chris and Dom! That’s right; I got a photo with Dominic Howard and I got my ‘Butterflies and Hurricanes’ 7” vinyl signed. It was an amazing day! Not just the fact that we met them, but just chilling at the airport with an awesome group of people!

December 3, 2010: Hamish and Andy’s Thank You Tour, Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Emma, Elly and myself headed out into the city so that we could be there as radio and TV personalities, Hamish Blake and Andy Lee, broadcast their last radio show. They will be back next year, but only once a week instead of every weekday. This Thank You Tour was their way of saying, as the title itself explains, thank you to Australia. It was a great day filled with lots of laughter and musical performances. Michael Paynter and John Farnham were scheduled to play during the show and, Daryl Braithwaite made an appearance, as well as Newton Faulkner via video but, it was surprise musical guests U2 who really stole the show when they rocked up to perform.

2010 has been a big mixture of emotions. On one hand it has been one of the worst years, with the deaths in our family and my motivation for everything in general being at an all time low. Yet, on the other hand, having the chance to meet the cast of both Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries, as well as meeting the members of Muse and attending the Muse concerts, has made it one of the best years ever. I suppose the good and the bad equalled out, creating some kind of natural balance. However, despite all that has happened this year, I wouldn’t trade it in for anything. 2010 has brought with it new memories, new experiences, new friendships; and it’s the people I got to share these things with that have made everything so much more memorable.

So here is a little something for one of the most important and influential friendships in my life and something for the few new friendships that I have formed this year.

Emma
You’re my best friend! You have quite literally been there for me this entire year, no matter the reason. Whether you knew it at the time or not, you helped me so much during the most difficult time of my life. You were the first one I was on the phone to; you listened to me and respected what I wanted during that time, regardless of whatever it was. You gave me space when I needed it and comforted me when the time called for it. Simply being around you and in your presence helps in any situation. You’re one of those ‘glass-half-full’ types of people who tries to look on the bright side no matter what. Remember, there’s always a silver lining; a ‘light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel’, so to speak, lol. You put so much energy into being there for your friends and that’s something I admire about you. This year you have been there with me for pretty much every monumental event. We got to go to two conventions together and fan-girl over our favourite celebrities. We went to Hamish and Andy together and got to see the boys off in style! Admittedly, you were the second person I called after I met Muse, but that was cos I had to ring Ev so we could go insane over Dom together. But regardless, you were the one I called when everyone else was on the phone to their families and loved ones. That’s because you’re more than my best friend; you’re my sister. You’re a part of my family now, as you well know. You have been accepted with open arms into the Keen household, lol. It doesn’t matter what we’re doing together; whether it be sitting on the couch watching movies and having a food-fest or going out on pub crawls (which are going to be so much fun, lol), I just enjoy spending time with you. Next year is going to be so much fun; freedom at last! I don’t need to hope that we can create some more awesome memories together because I know that that’s a given! Love you, girl!

Ashleigh
It doesn’t matter that I only met you this year because it feels like I’ve known you for so much longer. You can officially go down in my history books as the first online friend who I met up with in real life and who has also stayed the night at my house, lol. And that’s a good thing because that means I feel comfortable with you. It’s uncanny how much we have in common but, as we have both decided, that stopped being weird long ago! Our similarities go beyond a mutual love for Shia LaBeouf and Dominic Howard and Muse; we’re very similar in personal traits and those aspects of ourselves that make us who we are. It’s for that reason that I think we get along so well; because we understand each other. Earlier this year we said that we would get to meet Dom together and, guess what, we did it!!! We met Dom together, we met Muse together and we got to rock out at Muse together on the barrier! I’m so glad that I was able to share in that experience with you and, hopefully, there will be many more experiences like that in the future that we can join in together!

Evelyn
Oh, Evelyn; my muser sister! I was trying to think back to how I even got started talking to you and, you know, I think I remembered how. I’m pretty sure Ash was talking about sticking posters up on her wall and wanted to know if using sticky-tape or blu-tac was better. I told Ash that I use blu-tac but put little squares of sticky-tape on the back corners to stop the poster from ripping or discolouring. You must have seen Ash’s question because you started talking to her about it too. Then you started talking to me about different methods of sticking up posters, lol. At least, I’m pretty sure that’s how we started talking regularly, lol. Then our friendship progressed! You sent out nightly twitpics of Muse and that’s how we discovered we were both Dom-girls! From there I got Dom-pics dedicated to me nightly! Before we knew it you were stalking me everywhere, lol! Twitter, Facebook, muse.mu, MSN, mobile number… It got out of control, lol. But I wouldn’t change anything about it! I don’t think I know anyone else out there who knows as much about Muse as what you do! It’s quite incredible actually. Together we can go off on quite a tangent making up impossible Muse fantasies which, hopefully for our sake, don’t remain merely a fantasy forever, lol. Not to mention you’re the one who got me into QI and, consequently, began filling my head with more random and useless facts! I’m very grateful for the fact that you accepted me for who I am so easily! You know I’m strange and it doesn’t bother you. And, despite the fact that we live in neighbouring states, we FINALLY got to meet one another at the Muse concerts in Melbourne! But not before we got to share, two days beforehand, an epic Muse/Dominic meeting! You had your ninja stalking skills in top gear that day! Thank you for everything you've done for me this year and all the memories you've given me! Here's to many more next year!

Lucy
Lucy, you are such an amazing chick! I am so very grateful that I found you all the way over there in Scotland via the very useful internet! I can't begin to tell you how much it means to have you in my life. It's so strange how, for two people who have never met before, we can be such good friends! I've loved all those crazy and perverted conversations we've had over MSN and TinyChat this past year, even if it means I was up until 4am on a school night, lol. We kicked it off so well so quickly, it was great! And then once we found out each other’s love for fanfic, well, let's just say I think Ev sometimes got a bit worried about us, lol. You really are like the older sister that I never had! I can talk to you about anything at anytime and I like that; it feels comfortable! It is going to be my mission to visit you, Lucy! It will happen! I know it will. And then you can come to Australia and I'll take you to visit the penguins! Thank you, Lucy, for being a part of my life this year! It's been so much fun! And I know that next year will be just as, if not more, awesome!

Julian
Well, where to begin, eh? We met because of the MTV poll and I was trying to find 'fans of Muse' (I didn't know they were called 'musers' at the time) to help vote. And I was telling you about all the hate that was going on between the two fanbases. And because you couldn't log onto the website to comment, you gave me some 'Dead Star' lyrics to post and, as a result, I copped so much hate from the My Chemical Romance fans, lol. And thus began our friendship! From that moment on we simply began talking to each other on Twitter and, to this day, we still do! (And Facebook and muse.mu and MSN and TinyChat.. lol). And it's cos of all the 4am conversations that I've gotten to know you so well! To quote myself and reiterate everything I've already told you, I consider it an honour to have been able to get to know you this year. Though we are so far away in actual distance, I feel that in reality we are so close to one another in spirit. I know that no matter what situation I find myself in I can always come to you for guidance and support. Not to mention you always encourage me to do my best and to be my best. It means a lot. So thank you for everything this year, it's been fun! Now for 2011!

I’m sure there is so much more that happened and so much more I want to say but, for now, this will have to suffice!

Letter To Rod Laver Arena Officials

My Email to Rod Laver Arena Officials:
To whom it may concern,

I am writing in regards to the events that took place at the Muse concert on December 14 and 15, 2010.

After having been in contact with numerous people after the Muse shows in both Brisbane and Sydney, I was shocked at the organisation, or lack thereof, of the Melbourne shows. To begin with, on Tuesday 14th, those of us who were lining up were made to move out of the shade and into the immense heat, only to be told that we should try to "stay in the shade when possible", despite the fact that we had just been told we weren't allowed in the shaded area. Not only that, but the organisation of the lining up procedures was chaotic and out of control. It would have made more sense to have a number system or a more controlled relocation from the shade into the sun. I found that it was unfair for those people who had been lining up all day to end up at the back of the line. I understand that you will take no responsibility for this and consider it to be the fault of those who decided to line up. However, I still feel that for future reference you may want to do what you can to ensure that everyone gets what they deserve and are treated fairly. Also, circumstances were more controlled on the second night than the first, however if you want people to follow instructions when entering Rod Laver Arena, you may want to step up your security procedures or perhaps conduct such procedures with more control and organisation. There was no structure to what was going on; hence it was difficult for security to do their job.

As for the water situation once inside the venue, I feel that it was irresponsible on the Rod Laver officials' behalf to not supply GA with water throughout the show. The only time when we were provided with water was during the interval between the support act, Biffy Clyro, and Muse. Biffy Clyro were on stage for approximately 45 minutes, with Muse being on stage for approximately 2 hours. The contrast between the two acts and the level of intensity was very distinctive. It made no sense to not provide people with some form of rehydration during the main event for the evening. We were told that it was our responsibility to keep hydrated, yet we were also told that we couldn't have bottles of water with us. Granted, we were allowed to have cups of water; however, one cup of water is not enough to sustain you for the duration of a 3 hour rock concert. The least you could have done would have been to provide GA with water throughout the show. I honestly don't see how something such as water would have been such an issue.

Which brings me to my next issue, that being the “trouble” that Muse members, Dominic Howard and Christopher Wolstenholme, seem to be in. As far as I'm aware, Muse's bassist is in trouble for smoking on stage. I have read the article and I would just like to point out a few things that I feel you have unfairly accused him of and, as a result, made him appear to be much more rebellious than he really is. Apparently, according to your officials, Chris initially tried to hide the fact that he was lighting up on stage, only to then freely inhale between songs. As I am sure you are clearly unaware of, judging by your comments made, Chris' actions were not some deliberate attempt to blatantly disregard your authority. Chris' actions in lighting up and smoking on stage is something that is very common for him to do. I can guarantee he wasn't thinking "I'm going to light up this cigarette just to break the rules". Most probably it was something he did out of routine and habit, as it is something that he frequently does whilst performing. I understand that smoking isn't allowed in non-smoking areas, that much is obvious. However, attacking Chris the way in which you did was unfair. To publically come out and condemn him for such an insignificant act is simply unfair to Chris. The fact that Muse is a rock band is no excuse; however, artists these days conduct themselves in much more serious and dangerous acts than that of Chris routinely smoking on stage. Society is told on a daily basis of the dangers of smoking, yet that does nothing to stop those who don't want to quit. If the issue with Chris smoking is to do with the "promotion" of smoking, audience members are more than educated enough to make their own decisions regarding the issue of smoking. I myself am not a smoker, and witnessing Chris smoke on stage has not encouraged me to start, nor have Chris' actions offended me in any way. However, if the issue is about "deliberately breaking the rules", then I suggest you first get an understanding of the sort of people you are talking about before you make such accusations about Chris "flaunting" the non-smoking policy.

As for Muse being "rapped for encouraging fans to "mosh out" -- in direct violation of security rules", I feel you are creating an issue where there isn't one. As an attendee on both nights, I'm well aware that it was drummer, Dominic Howard, who told the crowd to mosh during the song 'Time Is Running Out'. It wasn't as if Dom made an announcement at the beginning of the show to ignore all precautionary signs and security warnings for the entire evening. All he did was encourage the crowd to get involved and have some fun. After all, a Muse show is essentially a rock concert, and "moshing" is a typical aspect of all rock concerts. Dom didn't tell the audience to crowd surf, which is much more dangerous than moshing. Moshing is jumping up and down and knocking into one another. It doesn't involve violence of any sort. Dom's words were merely a ploy to get the audience fired up and having a good time.

Due to complaints from officials at Rod Laver Arena, Muse have now been dubbed an “anti-establishment style of performance group”. Unless your officials have any idea what they are talking about or are familiar with the message and ethos that comes along with Muse, then they have no right to go out and publically label Muse like that. Quite simply it’s unfair. Not to mention these same “antics” occurred at both the Brisbane and Sydney shows and it hasn’t been until the Melbourne shows that any concern has been raised. In regards to Chris’ smoking, there were a few grumbles from floor security, but nothing more. As for moshing, the Sydney shows were much more unruly and absolutely nothing was said about that. So please inform me as to why you seem to be the only ones with a real issue here, so much so that you’re willing to go out and condemn one of the most esteemed rock bands of our time.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Their Reply:
Thank you for your email regarding the Muse concert.

We take the health and safety of all patrons very seriously at every event, which is why we distribute water at the stage barrier. We are somewhat restricted with this, however, for a few reasons which I can explain. Firstly, the security staff that are positioned behind the stage barrier are primarily there to protect the stage and the band, which obviously means that they are limited in their ability to distribute water while the main act is on stage. I’m sure you would also agree that the majority of patrons would be too distracted by watching the main act and dancing to accept water at that point. We also need to ensure that excess water doesn’t end up on the floor, as this could cause further OH&S issues.

Prior to the event even starting we are attempting to ensure that patrons are safe, and we have drinks and umbrellas out on the Forecourt on hot days for the patrons that are queuing. Drinks are obviously available for purchase throughout the event, and are able to be brought on to the floor. Also, there is always water available from St John Ambulance staff at the edge of the floor.

We will always attempt to ensure that our patrons are safe and healthy, however, patrons also have a responsibility to look after their own welfare and ensure they drink adequate water through the day etc, and this doesn’t always occur.

In relation to us “banning” Muse this is a ridiculous beat up, we have never suggested such a thing, our comments to the media were that we were disappointed that they smoked in a non smoking venue, we did not believe that moshing was ever encouraged from the artists, there were no incidents to report at this concert whatsoever. This was one of the most incident free concerts that we have had at our arena and we welcome them back. This statement will be released to the media through the promoter.

Kind Regards,

Jo Juler.

U2 live at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne

December 1, 2010: U2 at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne

Marching to the tune of David Bowie's 'Space Oddity' was fitting as U2 took to their 360 degree rocket-inspired stage and kick-started their 2010 Australian tour. With such an esteemed reputation for their live performances, from the stage design alone you knew you were in for a treat.

Starting off the night with 'Beautiful Day', U2 played songs from across the eras; from 'I Will Follow' and 'Sunday Blood Sunday' to more recent songs such as 'Get On Your Boots' and 'Vertigo'. During 'Sunday Blood Sunday', Jay-Z made an appearance to feature in the performance. Crowd favourites like 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For', 'Where The Streets Have No Name' and 'With Or Without You' had the audience screaming and taking over the part of vocals. It was an energetic night with a fabulous light show and captivating visuals. Truly an incredible night.

Also, throughout the show, Bono, a passionate advocate for social justice, described the conditions in less fortunate countries and how a small contribution on our behalf can have an immense impact. A lot of people perceive the U2 frontman to be too flamboyant and 'preachy' when it comes to his outspoken views on social issues around the world. However, I find it truly inspiring the conviction of his words and the passion he has for wanting to change conditions in society. Everybody wants the world to be a better place and for the less privileged countries to have equal opportunities and, given the opportunity, we would all do something about it if that chance were ever to arise. So how can people sit back and criticise a man who is in a position where he can make a difference. With millions of people looking up to him around the world, he is in a position where people listen to him. Standing in front of a crowd of 60,000 onlookers, speaking his words of awareness, his message instantly reaches another 60,000 people in the world. If you had the opportunity to raise awareness in such a way, wouldn't you seize the moment too?

The setlist for the night was as follows:
1. Return Of The Stingray Guitar Intro + Beautiful Day
2. I Will Follow
3. Get On Your Boots
4. Magnificent
5. Mysterious Ways
6. Elevation
7. Until The End Of The World
8. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
9. Mercy
10. Bad
11. In A Little While
12. Miss Sarajevo
13. City Of Blinding Lights
14. Vertigo
15. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
16. Sunday Bloody Sunday ft. Jay-Z
17. Scarlet
18. Walk On
Encore
19. Desmond Tutu speech + One
20. Where The Streets Have No Name
Encore 2
21. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
22. With Or Without You
23. Moment of Surrender

Paramore live at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne

October 13, 2010: Paramore at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne

The setlist:
1. Ignorance
2. Feeling Sorry
3. That’s What You Get
4. For A Pessimist, I’m Pretty Optimistic
5. Emergency
6. Playing God
7. Careful
8. Decode
9. You Ain’t Woman Enough To Take My Man (Acoustic)
10. When It Rains (Acoustic)
11. Where The Lines Overlap (Acoustic)
12. Misguided Ghosts (Acoustic)
13. Crushcrushcrush
14. Pressure
15. Looking Up
16. The Only Exception
Encore:
17. Brick By Boring Brick
18. Misery Business

The setlist was only posted online recently, hence my delay in posting the setlist or anything to do with the gig at all. One thing I will say though, it was an AMAZING night! They truly know how to put on a great, energetic show! And Hayley Williams, quite simply, is hot! lol