Entry 4

Well it's time to start thinking about flights.  I have found a room that I intend to rent, if things go well that is.  It's a really nice large studio room not far from central Dunedin.  It's difficult doing everything via the Internet but I'm sure it will all work out.  I'm not sure exactly when I am going to fly down but within the next few weeks.  Although I have applied to unis for the last few years with varying success this still feels as though it is happening so fast.  Everyone keeps asking me if I'm excited about the move and I guess a part of me is.  A part of me just wants to curl up in my own bed in my own bedroom in the house I have been in since childhood and stay there.  I told one of my friends yesterday when faced with the question of whether I'm excited about this or not that I'm excited to find out who I am.  Okay so admittedly that is extremely cliche or something you'd hear on an American teenage drama (think Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill etc).  But what I mean is I've been at Massey University for the past 7 years, 4 of the those years was spent with the same group of friends I'd had since high school.  The last three have been spent working hard and making a few different friends.  But it's been so comfortable, and I don't mean it has always been good.  My time studying and working at Massey has been hard, and hasn't always been a smoothe ride.  But I've gotten comfortable in the way things are and how things work.  Now it's time to venture out a little, not too far from home, but far enough to start afresh, with no preconceived notions following me.  New surroundings, new people, new opportunities.  I'm terrified, but ready.

Entry 3

This is all I have for tonight.  Maybe it might make someone think.


Old Long Syne, by James Watson (1711)


Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,
and never thought upon;
The flames of Love extinguished,
and fully past and gone:
Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold,
that loving Breast of thine;
That thou canst never once reflect
on Old long syne.

CHORUS:
On Old long syne my Jo,
in Old long syne,
That thou canst never once reflect,
on Old long syne.

My Heart is ravisht with delight,
when thee I think upon;
All Grief and Sorrow takes the flight,
and speedily is gone;
The bright resemblance of thy Face,
so fills this, Heart of mine;
That Force nor Fate can me displease,
for Old long syne.

CHORUS:
Since thoughts of thee doth banish grief,
when from thee I am gone;
will not thy presence yield relief,
to this sad Heart of mine:
Why doth thy presence me defeat,
with excellence divine?
Especially when I reflect
on Old long syne

Entry 2

Well I am currently in the process of finding accommodation in Dunedin.  Yes I've gone against almost everyone's advice and chosen Otago University over Macquarie University in Sydney.  But once I'm enrolled I will be doing a PhD at the Bioethics Centre in the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Dunedin School of Medicine.  I think that sounds pretty great!  The hunt for apartments seems to being going quite well.  I have heard back about a couple of studio rooms so far that seem promising.  Well better go because the computer is running out of power.

Entry 1

This summer I was lucky enough to be offered two PhD scholarships, one in New Zealand and one in Australia.  It would be fair to say that I have agonised over my decision.  I don't want to make a mistake.  My fear is that in a year, two years, three years I look back and wonder why I didn't choose the other path.  It's funny how life sometimes presents two equally viable options and we are forced to look down both roads and just choose one.  I guess the key is once the decision is made to not look back.  And luckily, as of this morning the decision has been made.  My intention with this blog is to record my journey from now, summer 2010 to graduation when I will be awarded a PhD.  Since I've never been good at keeping a diary this blog will be a challenge.  Wish me luck, on all accounts!