Monday 26 May 2014

Research Giant Weta's they said. It'll be fun, they said.

For biology I'm currently doing a topic on (biological) evolution - it's pretty interesting. When you get to level 3 biology, suddenly the tables turn and everyone preaches that "if you do not understand evolution, you will never ever understand or get anywhere with, biology". So here I am, reading about biological evolution and finding a free KOBO eBook of Charles Darwin's - "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life."
     Charles Darwin was certainly recognised for his not so well written titles!

In reference to the title of this post, I was told to research the biological niche of the Tuatara and the Little Barrier Island Giant Weta, and compare and contrast the two. For those who are not so well informed, a biological niche is basically described as an "organism's 'way of life' " - how they live, where they live, how long they live, what they do to live, reproduce and survive in their habitat. Simple really. Except when you rely on Google and it comes up with nothing! Seriously, you try searching for the Giant Weta and see what you find that might describe its niche!
     This certainly caught my eye...
Creepy - no?






On the 40 hour famine. It was simple. Yeah, I think after skipping lunch and leading up to dinner I was seriously over it, seeing my family eat dinner (takeaways) wasn't that difficult. I just went for my shower and then ignored them eating the last of it. I was a little jealous, because it was something we haven't eaten in years. I had a good sniff of it, but it didn't make me feel hungry at all, it smelled yum, for sure, but not enough to make me hungry. Throughout that first day though, my head was kinda like, "umm, hey, you sure you haven't forgotten to do something? Like, eat perhaps?" But then dinner came and went and I was fine, skipping breakfast the second day in a row was a tad weird and the countdown was on til lunch and my goodness did it drag. Two hours to go...*half an hour later*, 1 hour 59 minutes to go...1 hour 58 minutes to go. I'm serious! I decided on pikelets for lunch which mum and I started making about 11:30, so I had to be ultra careful not to lick the mixer like I usually would whilst cooking. Then we couldn't even try the first, yummiest pikelets straight away. You know, the ones that are the best cos they've got the excess butter on them? Yeah...
     15 minutes to go and Mum covered up the clock on the oven. Cruel doesn't even begin to describe it! Five minutes left and I was counting down fully. One minute to go Mum buttered me a pikelet and 12 o'clock on the dot I devoured it. Lol. It was soooo good *sighs*.
     I was stoked, because my original goal was to raise $50, but with mum posting updates on Facebook and her friends sharing it around, I raised $101! So I'm really happy. I prefer to keep my goal low in money situations, so then I'm more likely to raise and exceed that goal. I know a few people who had high goals, and by the look of their online sponsoring they raised very little in comparison. Not that that matters, because every dollar counts, but if it were me I'd be gutted not to have reached my goal. It seems that in online donations, the 40 hour famine raised just short of $200,000. Hopefully that money goes a long way!

Friday night my car was picked up when they went to get dinner, however when my brother drove it home there were issues. Battery light coming on, other lights coming on and the gear flicking was 10 times worse than it usually is. So today I dropped it back in again to be sorted and I flat out refuse to pay for any costs this time round. It may not be the guys fault, we don't know, but something is wrong, so hopefully it is fixed today without a cost. Fingers crossed.
     So far I'm having to pay just over $600 for last weeks repairs which included the new battery, the new starter motor and a new ignition - as you need to replace it when you replace the starter motor for warranty of the part. I said that sooner or later, my car will be brand blimmen new! It's a cool little car, and seems to only have issues every few years. I'm not inclined to sell it when I'm soon to go to uni - what would be the use? Like I said, it's a cool little car, I like it and I know it.
     It just happens to cost a lot when it breaks down...What can you expect of a car its age though?

Just a few more days until HM Rage. I'm really looking forward to it, having heard about my friends going to it year after year and never being able to go myself. It's also coming up to National Gypsy Day (some of you will get it lol) and I'm aware of us having lived in our house again for nearly a full year! Even though it's frustrating because the section is small and there is no shed etc etc, I love this place.
     Dad is determined to sell it, but just like the last people who used to live here and own this place, we are connected to it. It would be heartbreaking to sell it, which makes this one year anniversary of being back here all the more special (I just won't be here to celebrate it...) It's also the companies' 1st birthday in June - I really hope we can sort something out and go out for a nice dinner to celebrate our success. Keeping my toes and fingers crossed for that family occasion! :)

3 comments:

  1. Your car reminds me of my computer...

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  2. I was thinking the same lines :P

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    Replies
    1. Only my computer's just been fixed...Hopefully it's a long-term fix this time!!!

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