yayayayayayay!

I'm going to work on a summer camp in michigan and then travel, and hopefully visit England on the way home too =D

yayayayayyayay!

ellieintheusa.wordpress.com

Yesterday afternoon, the hottest day ever in Melbourne seemed kind of like a novelty. Everyone was melting, but at the same time, I know plenty of people who were urging their thermometers forward into record-making degrees, excited that we had perhaps been part of the HOTTEST DAY EVER.

I suppose I was pretty sheltered from it, sitting inside my air conditioned house in front of my computer, drinking lemonade with ice blocks and checking the weather forecast now and then, whilst tweeting and facebooking about how 'insane' the weather was, without actually going outside.

All of yesterday seems so childish and pathetic and silly compared to the tragedy of today.
84 people have died and at least 700 homes have been destroyed in bushfires throughout the state.
The constantly updated news today has just been an increasingly morbid flow of information- death tolls, towns under high alert, weather conditions, calls for help, interviews with firefighters, messages of despair.

I have a news website as my home site on my internet browser, and always check the news first thing in the morning and often throughout the day. My mum regularly tells me to not get caught up in sad stories, as I often leave the computer to go and tell her this or that piece of breaking news I've just heard about. I've spent much of today glued to the internet and radio, aching for those that have lost their homes, their families or their lives. Mum has told me to stop listening, it's just too sad to get absorbed in.

I suppose I'm conflicted, because of course I am saddened by what's happening so close to home, and yet I feel so helpless. I want to cry for these people, but like many issues in the world, be they poverty or social injustice, or political unrest, tears don't really help. I suppose being ignorant makes it easier to live life without guilt. I don't know, this is all ramble. It's just so hard to know what to feel, or do, or think at times like this. I want to be grateful I've lived a horror-free life, and yet I don't want to think about my positives when there are people suffering right now.

Eh. I wish our world was a better place. I wish it was easier to make a difference. I wish those 84 people had left their homes a day earlier.

EDIT: The death toll has reached 108. They think it's might be 200 sometime today.

So I haven't really used LJ much, obviously.
This is in part due to the fact that I can't navigate my way around easily, which is in part due to the fact that at first glance it confused me and I was scared to try and figure it out.

BUT NOW, being cooped up in the house today, and a bit more regularly now school is done, I kind of feel like giving it a go.

BUT I HAVE DILEMMAS. (by the way, does anyone else try and spell dilemma 'dilhemma'? I do it all the time >_<)

1. I want a nice layout but the layout section confuses me and I can't find anything I like.
2. I don't know how to find MY friends, or make new friends XD
3. I don't know whether i should bother at all XD

So today might quite possibly be the hottest day on record, ever, where I live.
INSANITY. According to my sources, right now it's 44 degrees celsius, so 111 degrees farenheit.
SO HOT. And it will probably only get hotter later on.

Personally, I don't have too much reason to complain. I mean, I am royally pissed off that the top half of my window has slid down a bit, from the top, and so there's an evil gap letting hot air into my room. But i'd have to go outside and down the side of the house if I wanted to push it back up, and I can't be fucked doing that. TOO HOT.

Anyway, so yes. Aside from the evil gap of heat and doom, I can't complain. We have an amazing air conditioner, and I'm happy to just laze around inside drinking cold drinks and wearing small amounts of clothing. Ahem.

What DOES worry me though, is the fact that the government has pretty much told everyone to stay inside, not go anywhere, ring the elderly and friends to check they are okay, keep hydrated, use umbrellas if you MUST go outside. They've pretty much said, cancel your plans for the day and stay away from the heat. They also said, screw water restrictions (we are running out of water so bad) and yeah, have a bath all day or eat ice blocks or whatever.

I'm not worried about myself, I'm fine with my AC, I just feel bad for everyone stuck in this horrible heat, and for everyone further out of the city who might be under threat of bush fires, cos damn, there will be heaps of those today. :(

THAT IS ALL.
THANK YOU AIRCON FOR MAKING MY DAY BETTER.

My life has lasted for 6603, aka 18 years and 28 days.

I've grown up in Australia, but I've travelled to about 20 different countries.

Things I love include harry potter, music, hockey, the internet, the smell after it's been raining, chocolate, travelling, reading, finding something new that you enjoy, talking to friends, watching a good movie, discovering an unknown band that you love, playing violin, writing on blank paper, remembering all the words to a song, singing even if its out of tune, trying something new, adrenalin, cake, absolute silence, attempting to skateboard, being a radio dj, live gigs, having a cause, being happy, scarves, sunsets&sunrises, climbing a mountain, suprising yourself, achieving goals, getting a new haircut, meeting someone you admire, making deadlines, getting 100%, being proud of yourself, mochas, photography, drawing, drinking water, looking at old photos, smelling memories, playing guitar, putting your favourite song on repeat, telling someone ILY, christmas, playing with fire, rainbows, hearing secrets, birthdays, music festivals, traditions, new years, friendship.

Things I want to do include: donate blood, get a tiny tattoo, go to america, go back to every country i've ever been too, find a favourite colour, sing well, play guitar well, play any instrument well, skateboard, snowboard, get my full drivers license already, go to glastonbury music festival, write a novel, do a memorable interview, have my art in a gallery, make films professionally, become more environmentally friendly, be in a real band, get media passes to things more often, be a band photographer, live overseas, get into the uni course i want do, meet my real dad, make a difference, save someones life.

That's all I can think of, for now. <3

Everytime I have some serious, serious work to do (and therefore severe lack of time!) I go and join another site, or get back into roleplaying, or make a youtube video, or open photoshop.

Not helpful!

Hmph.

Oh well.

HELLO WORLD OF LIVE JOURNAL.
Nice to meet you.

You seem very confusing to me, but oh well.

Ellie xx