Back home!

I'm back home! Where did the term go? I can't believe Christmas is in ten days time! If only I had those ten days off - I've brought all my work with me!

It's funny how familiar and strange it is to be home all at once. I guess cos I've only really been back for a day or so in the last 2.5 months that lots of things seem different. New furniture, ways of laying things out, routines in the house etc. Nothing too major but it's enough for it to feel different. At the same time, it's lovely to be back in my own bed and to have the wealth of food and general stuff that I have at home. And obviously to see my Mum and Dad, who are just the same, but lovely to chatter with.

Coming home makes me feel all holiday like, and also makes me feel like now's the time to unwind, when in fact it's not, I have lots of work to do this week, namely my DPhil research proposal. However, for some reason, coming home has made me super tired. Actually, that's a lie - I had a very hectic weekend with the Wolfson Ball and all kinds of general fun stuff, so that's probably why I'm tired. Also the house is really hot, which makes me sleepy! Thus today has mostly been admin and resting, but I'm trying to work now (with little success it seems!)

The Ball was brilliant, really bargainous but good fun! I had a dress drama and got in a strop but X was very good and patient and got me to go after all and then it turned out to be lots of fun. We had massages and tarot card readings and watched a really really amateur magician and had chocolate fountains and lots of drinks and enjoyed a swing band and also fun DJ, it was really good fun. And I finally broke through my little barrier with the help of some cherry drops, so I'm feeling good about that too ;)

So this week I need to get my work done before going house-sitting from the weekend, so best get back to focusing. Hope your Christmas shopping is going well and that things are winding down for you!

Monday 9th week - term's done!

I have been very naughty and let this blog go to pot. It's now Monday of 9th week - term ends in 8th week, woo, so no classes or lectures until Jan! However, I have loads to do over the break. Happily I've done my Stata assignment (the last one!) so that's one thing off the list. I have a critical essay for research design, which counts towards my final grade, and also a term essay for sociological analysis, which doesn't count but is good exam practice. On top of that I have to study for a stats test right at the start of next term, which counts for 50% of the stats course (the other 50% is made from our three stata assignments). I also need to sort out my DPhil application, and by sort out I mean actually do it. AND I have to get some more research done for my thesis work. So really, a very busy "holiday".

It's cool though because I really like the Christmas holidays and I'm trying to get lots of this done before taking some time off properly. I'm hoping to spend lots of time with X, it's our anniversary and also we might get to do some house-sitting over the break too. The hospital are trying to get my arthoscopy sorted out for December, which might well be cool to be fixed up a bit more, but then it wouldn't be awful not to have it since I'd like to do fun things over December rather than recover from an op.

What else? Been busy with social stuff and end of term stuff, things are livening up, so really I should get focused on getting this work out of the way. But this morning has been a bit of a write-off, so I reckon nap-time and then will try again.

Wow, my life is all about studying now. Well, not completely. I also have my kingdom outside my window, all my bird soldiers and peasants etc. They need attention too.

Week 6 update

I thought I would do a spot of blogging, but actually my eye's hurt from looking at the screen, and I have to read some articles for research design after this, so I guess I'll keep it short.

What's new? Nothing really. STATA assignments keep us busy, along with Sociological Analysis essays. Busy weekend rushing about seeing old friends, playing football, going dancing for a friend's birthday, chilling out with X, just spending time really. Boy do I love weekends though!

It's almost 7th week, can't believe the time has gone so fast. Went to London last night to hang out with X, was lovely. Have brought X's bike up here so we can cycle around together, good for health, pocket and the environment!

Scored a cracking header off a corner last weekend and got "chihuahua of the match", which was totally cool!

Repaired one puncture for the whole session at the bike workshop on Tuesday, but did it in the end, so feel good about that! Am on for my first shift on the bar rota tonight, which should be exciting, except I've forgotten all the things we learnt at training, so it might be tricky, but hopefully I'll get the hang of it ok.

Refereeing's going ok, I'm mainly doing it for the money, but I do appreciate the run around, and also a good game of football (if it works out that way). JCR games have mostly been really good; MCR less so, but I'm not doing them really any more, so that's cool.

Right, best get to work, but will do my best to update sooner in future. Oh and I watched The Bourne Identity for the first time on DVD yesterday, and it was really good, so now I can't wait to see the other two!

Working in the library

I am in Wood Green library. This is very exciting for me, mainly because it is the middle of a Saturday and it's REALLY BUSY, all over the computer area and in the quiet study area (where I am ) and also in the books sections too. I'm pleased, I like it when a community uses a library! What I like most about the people around where I am sitting is that there is such a huge demographic of old and young and ethnic minorities. Everyone seems to be working hard on various things. I also particularly like the presence of school-age kids, mainly sixth formers I imagine, who are studying too, and helping each other.

This library is a good working environment, it's warm and well-lit and spacious and airy and there is a good atmosphere of work. I am pleased with it, and pleased that we have libraries like this in this country, and any old joe can just walk in and enjoy the facilities, particularly the free wireless, brilliant! I am loving using free wireless all over the shop (at X's house where they are using a nearby neighbour's, a bit wrong, but still, and also on the Oxford Tube).

Anyway, I best get to work as X will be back from the lunch thing later and I want to get this done before that. We are going to fireworks tonight and then to a BBQ Halloween party, wooooooo!

Some stuff that's been happening

I don't usually work on Thursday nights, well, not properly anyway, but I'm pretty busy this weekend + lots of the readings are books (which luckily I have managed to get a hold of) so thought I'd better make a start.

What's new? Been refereeing still, that's going pretty well. Working hard. Went to London last night to try and watch the fireworks at Clapham Common with X, except the traffic and then awful delays on the underground meant I was too late and so we missed it. We were all grizzly but then cheered up after some KFC, naughty but yum.

Stayed up really late on Tuesday for the elections, which were super exciting, although had a bit too much to drink, which meant I couldn't write my essay, as originally intended, hence having to scrape bits together on the coach journeys to and from London. Am super pleased Obama made it - it's funny how something like this can be so moving, I don't really know why, it all just seems so hopeful, as if things could really change for the world. I hope they can. I hope he can do it.

Also helped out on the bike workshop on Tuesday, which was cool, I like fixing things, plus it's good to know a few things about bikes and how to fix them.

Went shopping today for the first time since being in Oxford (not food shopping, actual shopping). The town is getting Christmassy and it was pretty busy. Bought some absolute bargains, including fun stuff for X to celebrate the GAMSAT scores! Also sat and had some tea and read the paper in the common room, which was nice, it's good to chill a bit sometimes. Someone was playing Moonlight Sonata in the piano room, which was a lovely accompaniment, I love that piece.

Oooh I forgot to say, I scored the first goal for Wolfson at our game on Saturday, and it was so much fun! I played in goal for the second half, and my knee held it together, and it was just so cool to be playing again. I won joint player of the match, and we have a little chihuahua to play with for the week (except I've not seen it yet, the other winner has it!) Alongside that X and I had the most lovely weekend full of fun times, even plodding in the rain for ages was fun - we did lots of cooking and relaxing stuff, and it was just cool to know that our time wasn't fleeting as it usually is. Mmm, happy.

Ok, that's about it, except Spurs are having a revival and I hope they keep it up!

What's been going on?

Wow, it's been aaaaages since I last posted! What's been going on, you may well ask. Well, I've been super busy with academic work and then extra-curriculars in my spare time, so really I've just had no time.

Work's been going well - our schedule is pretty packed and there's loads of work to do, but I'm trying to be disciplined and stay on top of it. It's really interesting though and I think I'm doing well so far so that's good.

Been spending lots of time with X and also playing a bit of footy (naughty, I know, I really shouldn't, but I want to so much!) and also doing lots of reffing (I can't really not ref as I need the spending money). All in all things are well. Except I have a cold, but fingers crossed that'll pass soon.

Have thought a bit about my thesis, but not so much as to actually be able to do anything with it yet. Am thinking now thinking about finding out the value of the A-Level with regards to those people who do their A-Levels but then don't go on to uni - does it make them more productive/able to demand a better wage/get a better job? Could be interesting and there's probably a lot of analysis I could do there.

Went to the fruit & veg market in Gloucester Green this morning, which was ace since I hadn't been there for years. Bought lots of good stuff, which bodes well for my new "cooking regime" (a bit of experimentation never hurt anyone...so long as food poisoning can be protected against!)

Right, have just finished up my STATA (IT statistics programme) project so am gonna reward myself with a bit of MOTD - Spurs drew with Arsenal in a super dramatic game, woohoo!

Quick weekend update

Sunday evening. Aaah. It is second week already, how comes? Where has the time gone?

Have had a lovely weekend not doing any work, which means lots of it in the week to come, but none for now. Spent most of my time with X, making bread in the bread maker and playing lots of sports, so was in a bit of a funk cos of the comedown after the weekend today, but playing some squash and helping a mate unpack sorted that out. My calves really ache from refereeing yesterday (which was a bit dramatic, but worthwhile nonetheless) and also playing a bit of college footy, which was loads of fun (fingers crossed the knee holds out). So have done lots of sports, which makes all the feasting justified.

Spurs are doing shockingly in the premiership, still rock-bottom and just lost to the 19th placed team. We are yet to win a match, it is getting a wee bit hairy. Hmm.

Ok, I have to run to see if anyone will turn up for Scrabble club tonight. Not entirely sure they will, but better try and see! Have a good week!

Classes and stuff

So I've been very busy, what with it being 1st week and all. Lots of classes and work and reading and new society meetings and dinners etc. Nice and busy, I like it.

Had my first Sociological Analysis class today. Managed to do most of the reading, so felt pretty prepared, but once the class started I realised my essay was actually full of rubbish, whoops. That said, I think I did ok in the actual class, having had previous experience of the argumentative and on the spot pressure style of tutorials. Lots of other people looked kinda caught out, but once I realised he was choosing people to answer questions, I got my answers and points across early so I could avoid the trickier stuff! It was a difficult essay though, especially since it had a fair bit of economics in it as well as sociology, so that could've stumped people. Still, now we know what to expect, next week should be easier.

Apart from that had a tough and long stats class in the computer lab yesterday. Again it was a pretty steep learning curve, especially for people who had no experience of programming. Hopefully it'll get easier, but it was just taught so badly yesterday, in my opinion, that it scared people. Everyone looked totally stressed etc. but people seemed a bit calmer today.

I've noticed that masters students are a lot more serious and hardworking than regular undergrads. Maybe cos we're all paying lots of money to learn this stuff? I dunno. I like the challenge but am not into competing with people, I'd rather more collaboration.

Ok, better run, have lots more society meetings to get to. There's so much to do here that I wish I had more time! Not to mention even more work for next week...roll on the weekend!

Lots of Work!

Phew. I have just finished a super-long reading list. I'm in the library. People are still working. We have a lot of work to do. Phew.

Thought I'd do a little relaxation through the medium of blogging. Particularly salient as I went to a seminar today on Networks and how people use different types of media to maintain contact with one another. Apparently the people who you are closest to don't necessarily get the most contact from you. Also, there are some people who have very small personal networks and use only a few media to keep in touch, whereas others are "heavy users" and are considered hubs of planning and contact.

I wish I had loads of time to attend seminars as they are all on random but very interesting and specific areas of research. Far better than lectures, which are pretty generic. Although I am a bit biased in that today we went to a scary one on statistics and the computer programme we have to learn to use (50% of that module is based on three assignments on Stata, the programme, and the other 50% is based on a 2 hour written exam in 0th week next term, yuck!).

I have pretty much been working today. Caught up with a few people, but my schedule is so busy (especially with the reintroduction of a 4 hour computer lab on Weds) that work is DOMINATING. Plus it's 1st week and no-one really knows what they are doing or how they are doing it yet!

Aside from that Oxford has been really beautiful and autumnal today. I am liking being in a north Oxford college (when I have my bike) because I can escape to the quiet of a more residential, and some might say rural, area. I was whipping my way through the leaves that have been falling like rain here, and I could hear the birds, and the kids from the Dragon School chattering away, and it was just lovely. Plus I gave myself a pat on the back for going shopping before lectures this morning, and not using any carrier bags and cycling there and back, making me feel eco-cool. It's much easier to be in control of that here.

Anyway, I'm going to go and chill for a bit. No doubt will be back with more tales of work soon.

On the bus

I am sitting on the Oxford Tube on my way back to college. The tube (underground) journey was pretty rubbish, what with my losing of an Oyster last week (meaning that to transfer the lost balance I had to tap in at a certain tube station) and then part closures on the central and jubilee lines, and then the silly oyster machines debiting too much money due to rail replacement confusions. I finally made it to Victoria but the journey took more than twice the usual time, yuck. Still, I am half an hour away from Oxford proper so nearly there now.

I must say technology has advanced a lot since the last time I was at uni, doing this same occasional commute between Oxford and London. The coach has wireless on it (which is how comes I get to do this on the road) and also plug sockets. I have a new laptop that actually works, so whilst updating this blog I can also play on facebook and check my emails. My phone is plugged in and charging too, so really despite being on the bus, I am as contactable as in Oxford (not including actual face-to-face communication. But then, who does that any more??)

I started doing some work earlier in the journey but then fell asleep. I have my first essay due on Thursday. Interestingly it is about sociological analysis i.e the research and analysis and evidence itself rather than what the theories say. We were told how to write an essay (something that never happened during three years of undergraduate work!) and I've been able to download lots of the articles from the reading list on to my laptop meaning I don't have to sit in the library as much. Despite these advancements, I am still not quite putting work at the top of my list. It's closer to the top though.

Apart from impending academic work, I went to a brilliant day of seminars on Football in the Social Sciences, which consisted of all kinds of junior-ish academics presenting their various economic and sociological theories regarding phenomena in football. For example I saw some really interesting work on match-fixing and the Italian football scandals. I also enjoyed the talk on the decline in the home advantage in premiership football (they attributed it to the televisation of football, but I'm not so sure). In any case, it was cool to see people putting theory and evidence together when it comes to football - it was inspiring to see academics combining their passions.

Last night X and I went to see Zorro at the Garrick Theatre in Leicester Square. It was awesome! Lots of the music was by the Gypsy Kings so we were loving the songs and dancing, especially the Spanish guitar. The cast was excellent, particularly the Gypsy Queen, and the script was funny and serious at the same time. I loved all the stunts such as the fire juggling and the rope swinging (from all over the theatre, including over the heads of the audience), but my favourite scenes had sword-fighting in them, which had been wonderfully choreographed but with real swords so you could hear them clinking and see the sparks fly, wow! We had great seats right near the front courtesy of lastminute.com's half price ticket deals (making the tickets practically two for the price of one when you ignore the booking fee!) It was lovely to have an evening like that too, with dinner and the theatre and then drinks afterwards, it was a proper date.

Ok, my battery is low so best sign off. Have a good week!

Busy in Oxford

I'm in Oxford! And that is why I haven't been posting. I've been busy. Two full days of induction into the Sociology department and lots of work and reading and things to sort out already. Phew, good thing it's almost dinner time.

I've settled into college well and made myself be a little bit sociable, which has been good. Freshers' week is loads different this time round in that there seem to be fewer big opportunities to get everyone together, but then on the other hand it doesn't matter as much to try and fit in and meet everyone etc. People are much more relaxed and so we can just get on with things.

I've met two of my flatmates, who seem nice although I hardly know anything about them at all. Have also met lots of people from my course (there are 28 doing the MSc this year, which is loads!) Some of them are super keen and some of them are super shocked by all the stuff they've been overloaded with. My respect for international students continues to grow, especially those who come from a country where English isn't the first language - how brave and dramatic to come over here! I'm really glad to be returning to Oxford because loads of things are already much easier (you forget how much you've absorbed over the years, and also how nice it is to have a supportive family and people you already know and who will help you out over here). Hopefully all those people will settle in and be ok here too.

What else? Last week was ace, some good educational fun at MyBnk, and some great dinners too. I had loooooads of curry, but it was nice to eat it with X in Brick Lane, and also to see my maths department again (they're all just the same so it was awesome to see them, but then after that I did really miss school, especially after having a cheeky pint with Rosie). Saw the girls on Friday night too, which was good fun, but they are all fed up with work and looking to change jobs etc. It's the quarter-life crisis that seems to be hitting them all at the moment. I'm more than glad not to be in the city, that's for sure. Had a mini bit of drama on Friday night with X after seeing Mohs in the morning and realising I have quite a few things I need to sort out and be better about. Am still mostly ignoring it, but I reckon this year will sort a lot of things out and then I will have to be brave and just get on with it.

Right, it's dinner time and then we have a little pub quiz, and I wanna crack on with some work too because I'll be back in London later this week, so will sign off now. Hope all is well with you.

Back in Oxford!

But about to go back to London!

No, not cos it's bad or anything...I'm working tomorrow at MyBnk.

So, I know I was supposed to be blogging more regularly, thus I figured I'd better make a quick note before I jetted, or I should say coached, off. In my defence again, my laptop was packed up and I was very busy before I moved up late Sunday afternoon, and have only just managed to get the internet working in my room, so really my turnaround time hasn't been too shoddy at all!

I'm at Wolfson College, which is a big graduate college in the north end of Oxford (between Jericho-ish and Summertown). Its a 1960s/1970s college and so the buildings have that style to them (not quite the impressive overbearing nature of Keble's red brick!) but inside it's beautiful. I have a lovely room in the Main Buildings on what is quaintly known as Tree Quad (even though the other side has far more trees than this quad). Best of all it's been entirely renovated and all the furniture and kitchen appliances are brand new! I have an en suite bathroom with a tiny shower (still, MY shower) and also a balcony with the most gloriously green view! I can see the river and the island (Wolfson has a little island) and a little bridge and a big bridge and the punt jetty and, best of all, a meadow across the river where cows can be found grazing! Countryside style, yeah! When compared to the proximity of the houses and the small garden full of building stuff at home, well, this is just wonderful.

So far no-one else has moved into my flat (there are four rooms, but Freshers' Week doesn't start until next week, so they could be coming at any time) but the room rent is quite pricey (£17.25 a day or £120.75 a week) so maybe I'll have it all to myself?? Unlikely, heehee. It'll be nice to have some flatmates if they are nice, else I will have to work hard to mould them.

What else? I've met a few doctoral students and a couple of other new guys too, who have all been nice. I've been hanging out a bit with MT (who has been a superstar in helping me settle in!) and her friends, who are all funny and lovely and smart. They did the Telegraph cryptic crossword last night, which was awesome since I always completely skip over the cryptic as something much too hard, but in fact it seems like something I could do after all. We had dinner in hall and went up to the common room afterwards, which is a nice way to wind down on an evening. Apart from that I've been setting up my room and unpacking and sorting various things out and filling in forms etc. The most exciting thing is putting my name on the waiting list for a college allotment! Hopefully I won't have to wait too long (there ARE two people in front of me though). Also watching the ducks swim in the river, doing some recycling, and generally finding my way around. There are loads of kids here (there's family accommodation in college, which is great!) and also two cats, bless.

So yes, so far so good. Am back in London for a little while now, with work and family and various social engagements (although no longer a knee appointment - grrr they've cancelled my operation so I'm back on the waiting list, rubbish!) but will return for Freshers' week. Will do my best to give you an update then.

Vancouver!

Hello hello hello! It's me again, I'm back, and this time ready to keep my blog up-to-date, after that slight hiatus over the summer.

So, first things first: Vancouver. Brilliant!

Good things:

• The people: so laid back and liberal and friendly - returning to London and its relative misery was a bit of a shocker (not to mention the cold over here!)
  
• The surroundings: mountains, ocean, trees and lots of sun cos we were lucky
• Vancouver Island - amazing, especially Qualicum Beach, Cathedral Grove and Tofino (where we went whale watching and I saw my first ever proper whale out in the ocean, wow!)
  
• Kitsilano - the whole area, like Notting Hill, only less in your face
• University of British Columbia - a lovely campus
• Wreck Beach - a nudist beach at UBC, hahaha
• Stanley Park - huge and all along the coast, with lots to do and see, and so much space to walk in, and nature right there in front of you
• Aquarium - all the stuff in tanks were great, although I felt a bit sorry for the beluga whales, orcas, and other large creatures. The butterfly room was brilliant though!
• The bus and transport system - really efficient and effective, although I guess Vancouver IS smaller so it's easier to cater for
• Food - I love food and I love all the delicious pancakes and waffles and biscuits and sugary things, and also all the multi-cultural food too, yum!

Could have been better things:

• Walking around China Town and near Main Street - this area is dodgy, you can sense the poverty and also there is a general feeling of edginess in the area, like anything could happen. Didn't feel happy there at all. Even in the day time it felt dodgy, so imagine our mistake of wandering through the first time late one evening! Luckily we found a restaurant quickly, and the bus system is good so we got out of there straight after supper!
• Museum of Anthropology - now I'm sure most people found this awesome, and we would have too, except that it closed for renovation for six months starting the day before we landed and so we couldn't go! I was gutted as all the tour books really rated it, and it sounded really good, especially with regards to its work on First Nations people. Oh well, an excuse to go next time.
• Money - the falling pound meant we needed lots more money than we thought we would, plus Vancouver IS quite pricey. Still, we spent well and had a good time!

Hmm, I have just had a super long and hilarious conversation with a ex-TFer and now I can't remember my thread at all. I'm sure that's enough stuff to tempt you into visiting Vancouver anyway. X and I had a brilliant time so hopefully you will too.

Right, so next Sunday I move up to Oxford for the week before term starts so this week will mostly be packing and organising and catching up with people. Where does the time go eh?

I'm Back!

I'm busy listening to Spurs play Krakow in the UEFA Cup plus I have clicky wrists, so just a quick note to say that I'm back safe and sound from a brilliant holiday in Vancouver, and that I'm getting ready to go up to Oxford next weekend (oooh exciting!). So fear not, faithful readers, the blog will be back to normal shortly, so keep your eyes peeled (what a gross phrase).

Culture Shock

It is one day to my holiday, woo! However, annoyingly, I forgot about my final Learning Log. The deadline was yesterday, thus this morning I have some work to do. In keeping with tradition, I will ramble on my blog first.

Yesterday was little brother's 21st birthday, I can't believe it! It was a pretty quiet affair - my dad had some of his friends from work round for dinner, but lil bro had lost of work etc. to do, plus he doesn't really like socialising with family-type people, so he made several swift escapes. I baked him a cake though, hopefully he'll like it when he tries it today. Both my other brother and I had huge family 21st birthday parties but lil bro refused. He missed out on some good fun in my opinion!

My dad's friends are from India and it was really interesting and odd to meet them. Really, I think I was a little bit prejudiced. Against the men at least. They all smoked and treated me like a servant person (one of them even handed me his dinner plate when he had finished eating and then stated that he wanted some water!) and also said that in their houses they don't do any of the housework etc. I am really glad I live here and not in India, where it seems even educated people treat women as inferior.

Coincidentally I was just reading a book of short stories/mini snapshots of the lives of various young asian females who live in Britain. Lots of them talk about the difficulties of trying to balance two cultures. I guess I am really Westernised so I find it hard to even accept some of the cultural traditions that maybe people born and raised in India/Sri Lanka would do. Maybe I'm just a bit spoilt?

My mum told me a story that made me sad, about how when she first came to the country, she had to live in a one-room bedsit with my dad, and she only just knew him, and she had no job and no friends here (there were no tamil people) and so when he went to college everyday, she'd be all along for the whole day with nothing to do. And she used to have to wash her hair in hot water cos it was so cold here, and also because they had to put money in a meter to get hot water and she didn't want to waste it because they were really poor, so all her hair used to fall out (she had a lovely thick long plait of black shiny hair when she first came here, which she used to wash in cold water back in Sri Lanka). So she used to sit at home everyday and collect up her fallen out hair and make a plait and just cry with sadness and homesickness. The culture shock must have been huge, plus in those times they were poor and there were no phones up in the village where my mum's parents were, so she was so far away from them and couldn't even speak to them. I don't know if I would have been able to get through that homesickness, but she did. She said that she used to look at apples in the market but was too shy to ask my dad to buy them so she just used to be quiet. I can't imagine that now, she is so out-spoken, but back when she was a brand new young girl from Sri Lanka, well maybe that was how she was. Such a shame about having to be all alone at home when she was a fully-qualified doctor - stupid bureaucracy. Still, she is happy now and she has her own surgery and now my parents have everything, so really I can see how we are spoilt because we will never have to (touch wood) go through the kind of struggles and strains and sadness that they did.

Sometimes I wonder if it would have been easier for us if we'd just grown up in Sri Lanka because them maybe we wouldn't feel so lost between two worlds. I don't know though, when I think about the civil war and some of the poverty and "trappedness" I've seen over there, I just now that we are so lucky to have all that we have, and I couldn't give it up.

Right, to work with me. If I don't post before it, have a lovely short break without me, and I'll be back after Vancouver!

Holiday time!

I'm back! After being a bit slack with the ol' blog, I'm making a new effort to update more regularly. This will be easier in approximately one month's time, when I go back up to Oxford, as then I should hopefully be a wee bit more free, and life may be off more interest to you. Heehee, it's obviously always of interest to me :)

We've been doing lots of Tamil-type stuff this weekend - hosting some Tamil concert singers and then a wedding today. It's been quite full on, but good fun, and good feasting too! My mum is an excellent good and yesterday lunch was awesome (in particular tamarind rice and fried fish, yum yum!).

In other news, I am finally unemployed! Well, I have one day outstanding of consultancy work at MyBnk, but apart from that I won't be working again until around Christmas time, and then only if I need to. I guess I will need to as this MSc is costing loads of money - uni fees and college fees alone come to about six grand, which is a third of a year's NQT salary, yikes!

On Wednesday I am off to Vancouver for a little holiday, should be awesome, I can' wait! Have been browsing my guidebooks so we should have an action-packed time over there. I especially want to visit the aquarium, the museum of anthropology, and also the beach and gulf islands. Yeah, holiday!

I'll leave you with this article, which made me laugh, and has also given me yet another thing that I'm interested in researching - the public's attitude to state education. The author of this piece seems like one of the may people who view education as glorified baby-sitting. I love how she complains about what to do with her kids in the summer and how she wouldn't know what to do with them if she had to have them around any longer. Take a minute for the poor teachers who spend all year with them! My favourite line is towards the end, when she starts harping on about how the government should have more discipline when it comes to the scheduling of the school year - maybe she should have some discipline over her teenagers, then she wouldn't be so resentful over their summer activities!

Last day of term. Err, I mean work.

Woo hoo! It's Friday! And it's about to be Bank Holiday weekend! Woo hoo!

It's my last day at my temping job too, so really I feel like it's holiday time! I've conveniently forgotten that I've got one more week of work after the weekend (but that's at a social enterprise company - MyBnk - and it's to do with teaching type stuff, so that could be interesting).

I'm house-sitting at the moment out in Goldhawk Road with Mouche, which is ace fun, it's so cool to have some space and live a bit more independently. The flat is beautiful and really cosy with loads of books and CDs and stuff like that. AND it's a garden flat, so sitting out in the sun yesterday with cups of tea was wonderful.

Apart from that I've been pretty busy seeing people and just having summer fun, apart from the complete lack of sun of course. I can't remember if I mentioned that I went on the ward round last week, which was super interesting, and sad. After that I felt like becoming a psychiatrist, but this week there have been so many bonkers incidents that I don't think I could do it after all.

Last point of note - there's a cat called Stripey Pants, which is really used to the house we're sitting at, and just comes in and stuff, and yesterday I totally freaked out and thought it was coming to get me. Usually I like cats, I mean, I'm not super touchy-feely with them, but still, I get on with them. But yesterday I couldn't bear it, it was so odd. I have decided that I was just a bit stressed and took it out on the cat (stressed because I broke their curtains, accidentally of course, but now want to fix them and can't so it bugs me).

I looked up the word neurotic yesterday. I think this is what I am.

Weeeeeeekend!

On the job training!

It is eleven o’clock and I am listening to Radio 4 and sipping a nice cup of Earl Grey. I could be a middle-aged lady. Perhaps I am. In fact, I have just been visited by a middle-aged lady – one year off retirement, so maybe more than middle-aged. She is one of the other med secs and she’s nice enough but really rather bitter about her work and life. Her conversation is littered with expletives, which are spat out with such force that I like her less.

I have completed my work for the day (so far anyway). I have done well to stretch out that work for these two hours as really I could have done it in about 20 minutes. In any case, I feel I am now suitably free enough to document the events of yesterday afternoon, namely the ward round and SHO supervision.

The ward round is when the consultant goes and meets the patients and chats with them about their progress and treatment plan. We met a young lady, who looked so sad and pitiful and a product of her history that I crumpled a bit inside. She was admitted after setting fire to her apartment as she thought there were spy cameras in there, through which people could watch her, and ultimately clone her. She was on crack cocaine at the time and in the past has been a heroine and cocaine addict. She left school at fourteen and her baby has been taken into care. She lives in council housing and was given the crack by a man who comes to take photos of her to put on a website (you know the kind I mean). The doctor thought that maybe she had a psychotic episode through the crack. She said she had to drink and take crack to help her stop thinking about her problems. During the ward round she seemed reasonably upbeat and wanted to sort things out for herself. All they could really do for it seemed was to give her advice and contacts to help her e.g. adult literacy classes, drug rehab, council housing phone numbers etc. She won’t be discharged until the end of the week.

The consultant told me that a lot of the time the inpatients get better by themselves, or with a bit of medication, once their episodes are finished. The hospital gives them some time out from society and reality, with people who are focused on their care and wellbeing, so that they can feel strong enough to get better. For the manic patients it is a calm place where they can just be more controlled.

I was looking at the ward list and listening to the briefing meeting and so much of it just made me sad about how these people have come to where they are and what was wrong with them. Granted we are in a deprived area but really for people to go through some of the things that seem to happen here is just inexcusable.

On a more positive note, the new SHOs have started in the department and so yesterday I got to sit on a supervision. We learnt about mental state examinations and the five indicators people check for. These are: mood, energy levels, suicide risk, hallucinations, and delusions (thought disorders). Delusions were postponed until next week because apparently they are the most complicated. For the other four there were loads of definitions and case studies to talk about. Really it seems you can only properly link all the different aspects together after you’ve seen lots and lots of patients and so you know what symptoms constitute what illness. Most interesting to me was the discussion of suicide risk. Apparently a lot of patients say they are a suicide risk but you don’t really need to take them seriously unless they have a plan i.e. have thought through the logistics of their intentions. Otherwise they have only vague ideas, which aren’t so much to worry about. The exception to this, obviously, is the impulsive suicide candidate. In both cases there is usually a precipitating, or trigger, factor, which will set off the suicide, or in some cases, save the patient. The doctor gave the example of a woman who was going to jump in front of train, but decided to have just one last cigarette before plunging, and then by the time she had finished her fag, she had changed her mind. Who would’ve thought cigarettes saved lives?! Another interesting thing we learnt was how the expression “one for the road” came about. It seems that there used to be a prison on Tottenham Court Road, and prisoners that were sentenced to death were hanged down at Marble Arch, so when they had their last drink it was to pluck up the courage to make the long walk down Oxford Street. Again, interestingly, there is a lower risk of homicide amongst mentally ill patients compared with the general population – so low in fact that the risk of homicide is hardly ever formally assessed unless the patient has a forensic history.

The stuff on hallucinations was also really interesting. Hallucinations are perceptual abnormalities i.e. people actually sense these things through touch, sight, hearing etc. Sufferers don’t normally have gustatory, kinaesthetic or olfactory hallucinations – auditory and visual hallucinations are far more common. Hallucinations are a major symptom of paranoid schizophrenia. It was interesting to hear that normally when sufferers hear voices they are simply commenting on what is going on e.g. the voice might say “you’re typing, good, you’re typing” or something like that. The voices are supposedly without emotion or inflection and speak very simply i.e. no clauses or conditions or complicated syntax structures. Sometimes they can even be positive – when people hear “nice” voices it can be difficult to treat them (the doctor said he only treated people who were actually in distress, and not if they didn’t want him to). Normally the voices are not positive though – they are either neutral or derogatory. Often they encourage the sufferer to harm him/herself which is why there is a big risk of self-harm amongst schizophrenic patients. The doctor gave many examples of patients he had had who experienced hallucinations, especially those with alcohol withdrawal symptoms (the ones who see snakes and spiders and all of that).

The final thing I looked at yesterday was a twenty-four page document by a manic patient about how he was going to save all the world’s problems through crying and having a nervous breakdown. It really was a rant of the most fabulous proportions, ridiculously grandiose (he mentions marrying Barbara Bush, and also being given $15 million from the US Government) and repetitive. Mostly I found it sad, that this man was so convinced he could fix the world. Imagine being in such a frenzy and imagine the pressure you could put on yourself at that point. No wonder manic episodes are often followed by major depressions.

Right Radio 4 are doing a programme on controversial books, maybe I’ll have a listen.

Good weekend, and another week at work

So it is Monday again. Another week and weekend have zoomed past. I don't know where the time is going. Luckily I'm not back at school in September, else I would be a bit panicked that THREE WEEKS of the summer have already gone, meaning only half of the holiday is left. Not so for me thought, woo!

I'm at work, but I've done it all, and so I'm wondering how I can secretly read my book/sleep without being noticed.

Weekend was lovely and busy. Disney crew were down from Oxford so we had a nice reunion; went to a fancy pants family thing with X, which was full-on (in a good way) and awesome to be part of; missed some birthdays though, whoops. Will have to make apology phone calls about that.

Aside from that then, haven't been at home all weekend, and so am unsure about this week and what I have to do. I know I have quite a few fun things to do though, so I guess I will consider myself on holiday :) Perhaps I will go to the gym a bit though, what with almost being ready to cancel my membership and all. Really I'm getting old though, my hip and knee are playing up, hohoho. I wish I could still play football, that would be fantastic.

Speaking of which, the Premiership starts again next weekend, WOOOHOOOO! Oh, except I have a weekend of wedding action, thus negating chances of watching live games, boo, but at least Match of the Day will be back.

Anyway, I better save my typing fingers in case I have some actual work to do. Happy Monday!

No desk job for me

I shouldn't really be typing now. After a loooong day of tapping away at a keyboard writing up various clinics etc. the last thing my poor fingertips need is more clacking.

Just a quick one though to say my rage was short-lived and I am back to chirpy. I watched a Beautiful Mind, which was awesome and just let all the rage go (mainly because the rage on the screen was worse).

Also I thought it worthy of note to say that after sitting down all day and typing for the past 11 working days I can safely say a desk job is not for me. The only good thing is finishing and then leaving your work behind you. I don't like commuting or being quiet at a desk all day or sitting down. In fact my arms and wrists and back and legs HURT from sitting down and typing away. So this is the end of this post.

Roll on the weekend! Super busy fun, woo!

Stupid phone companies and people

I am in a rage! Grrrrrrr!

I am currently on hold to Three Customer Services, having already been on the phone for ages to stupid Dial-a-phone Customer Services to cancel a contract that I didn't even order! Well, they sold it to me as an upgrade, except apparently it's not possible for them to do upgrades, so now I have two phones and two SIM cards and two numbers and two direct debits and loads of stupid bureaucracy to go through to undo it all...and all because the stupid cheating salesman told me one thing when he quite patently knew he was wrong and was lying and just did it anyway, what a knob!

So now it has cost me premium rate to get through to their Customer Services, and then I have to send the phone back at Special Delivery Rates, and then I have to pay some random connection charge bill, and then I have to cancel the phone insurance I didn't even want but had to take, and then I end up where I started before I had even tried to upgrade i.e. on hold except considerably more pissed off and out of pocket. It's all a con, I swear it. Plus they spelled my name wrong, idiots. And they charged me £23 for a bluetooth that I don't even have so now how can I return it to get my money back?

This is the highlight of a pretty mediocre day. The weather is gloomy and so it makes sense for all this hassle. I am also pissed off because I had a knee appointment today, where the Consultant I was referred to told me I shouldn't have been referred to him because he can't do the procedure I need, and so he is referring me back to where I was originally referred from 5 months ago, how stupid is that?!

Really I think I am fed up with all the ridiculous systems we have and why can't people just do their damn jobs and be a bit honest and stop passing the buck rather than trying to screw over the average person on the street?

Hmmmm. I am a bit jaded I think. That is probably what comes from doing someone else's work while they take super long tea breaks and chat on the phone. It is also what happens when loads of scummy people swear and argue on the bus and when the company you are working for doesn't send you a timesheet so you have been working for free and again noone will just do the simple part of their job so you can get on and do yours.

On a positive note, I did see a shade on a car with a smiley cat face on it that made me laugh. So maybe all is not doom and gloom after all.

Monday again

Points of note:

1. My laptop is fixed (just about!).
2. I'm thoroughly enjoying my new hobby - learning about psychiatry.
3. I am getting more broke - have not yet been paid for my temp job + I had to fork out a LOT of money today in prepayments and fees for uni.
4. I am a bit scared about uni but also excited but also scared but also excited. Phew.
5. I spent ALL weekend with X, literally, and we saw Wall-E, which was hilarious, and we went shopping and we played jigsaw and we cooked/feasted lots, and had a great time generally. I am pretty much besotted here.
6. I finished Psalm 119 and now am battling between Othello and Midnight's Children.
7. I have a knee appointment tomorrow, where I'll hopefully get my surgery date, and hopefully this won't clash with my work or my trip to Vancouver. Fingers crossed.
8. I have a new phone contract after not realising mine had expired in May so I was back to paying full price for no benefit (this is what happens when you choose paper-less billing!). I get my new phone tomorrow and am hoping it won't be a hassle but instead be the bargain it has sold itself as being.

That is all really. Oh, except I chopped my hair quite a lot shorter, so now it looks like a crazy big Afro, which is partly cool and partly annoying as it can't be controlled AT ALL. Heehee, it's fun for summer!

Another week of summer

Monday evening. It appears my once daily blog has deteriorated into a weekly ramble. Apologies readers, I really am trying to keep this up, it's just that my laptop has lost its Internet connection, so I can only blog when my folks' computer is free.

Also I am lazy. And enjoying summer. And having fun. And then realising that I have forgotten to obsessively document all of this on my blog. Whoops.

It was 30 degrees today, wooooo! Actually, that's a bit too hot, particularly if you're in an office being teased with the use of a fan, which you then can't plug in because there are no spare plug sockets. Also it's too hot if you only have a winter office wardrobe and thus have to resort to black trousers and long-sleeved shirts. It's odd I don't really have any summer wear, given that we had a "summer" term and all. Anyway, I made my peace with the heat by walking around barefoot and eating lots of oranges, yum yum.

Apart from working semi-hard (I left at 3:45pm today, I find it near on impossible to work after 3:30pm, my mind just starts to shut down) I have been busy trying to get fit again after realising that eating lots of junk, drinking lots of beer, and generally being slothful isn't the best way to stay in shape. I'm also reading this, which one of my friend's wrote, and to whose book launch I attended last week. I can't really remember what else I did last week, I spent most of it with X, so it kinda went by in a blur. I think I won a lot of things though (apart from the moon points game, where whoever spots the moon first wins. I am so bad at this, I think the moon hides when I am looking).

Oh yeah, I remember, my friend Jonno finally got engaged, awesome, how exciting! She will be getting married in winter 2009, but she's been waiting aaaaages to be proposed to, so I'm really pleased for her. Am also pleased with all the family stuff I've been doing, I love doing family stuff (well, most of it, unless it's boring) and also getting the house back in order after the builders etc.

So yeah, generally things are good, just ticking over really. I'm going to go and open my leaving presents now, whoop whoop! They are wrapped in such nice maps of London paper though, I'm going to have to try really hard to keep it nice and pretty.

I'M FREE!!!

Woooooooooo! I made it! It's the summer holidays and my two years on TF are over!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so pleased and proud!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow. I can't believe it really. All that is left is one final learning log and the TF graduation. Wow.

I cleared out my classroom yesterday and it was kinda sad. It reminded me of finishing university and having to empty out the room for the next inhabitant. I left some of the maths posters up, and also random useful things for the new TF-er who'll be based there, but still, it felt odd. Also because it was the first working day of the holidays and I was in school, along with a fair few other teachers, heehee, whoever said teachers worked till 3:30pm was soooo wrong!

You know, it feels really good too, to know that I have stuck at it for two years and actually done some good and useful stuff. The memories and achievements and dramas and tragedies and all the rest of it, they are all there still.

Two years worth of work and laughter and grief. Done.

Right, my laptop is broken and I have loads of other things that need to be done today, so I will come back and post properly later.

But just to remind you.....I'm finished, it's summer, WOOOOOOOOO!

Highlights from the week

I'm putting off the gym for 20 more minutes because it's been a whole week and no blogging action from me. Time to update this wonderful record of my rambley life.

Good things from the week:

• 8E stepping up for sports day and doing the business (every single kid in the tutor group bar one took part in one event or another, excellent...fingers crossed we finish well in Year 8)
• non-uniform day - yeah I got to wear flip flops!
• playing tangrams and Nubble Express with loads of my classes (hope I haven't started the "fun lessons" too soon)
• telling all my classes that I'm leaving and them all being sad about it - maybe I'm a good teacher after all
• teaching 8E a PSHE lesson based on the role of education in society (something that I taught my Y12s in AS Sociology) and having them respond really well to it
  
• spending most of my weekend with X, and also a midweek meet-up too - aaaah it makes me happy. As does winning two pairs of knickers in a bet over dominoes
• reverse parking into a tight tight spot the first time round, and then being told by the parking attendants that I was the best lady parker they'd seen all morning
• the end of year staff boat party - a free bar = shocking hangover, but it was loads of fun to celebrate the almost end of year with my colleagues. Not to mention getting muchos compliments for my "bap dress"
• having the new TF maths teacher in for his London week, and hearing that having watched all the maths teachers teach, the one he most wanted to be like was me!
  
• seeing my American friend Braden from my summer at Dartmouth, and also reunion-ing with all the kids from our exchange that year
• our final TF workshop, which was a bit lame, but so ace to see all of our year, and also to know that we've almost completed the programme, yeeehaaaa!

Not-so-good things

• not getting the money back from that ridiculous Wing Security towing my car away - grrrr
• being so busy that all the mundane chore type stuff has just not been done
• having to a learning log (boring)
• still not knowing about my knee operation and so not being able to book anything proper for the summer
• waiting for my WWOOF-ing booklet so I can finally contact some people about that

Aside from that, it's been a stellar week, I'm feeling awesome and happy! Five days of school to go, which will be crazy and emotional, but this time next week, well, I'll be at a colleague's BBQ celebrating the end of a mini-era. Hope all is well with you.

Monday - 9 days to go!

Wow, I am oddly free, and it's partly wonderful and partly overwhelming. Having even a few hours to spare is such a rare sensation that it almost makes me anxious to be that way. Nah, not really, I am enjoying it!

I was meant to be meeting up with a friend who's just come over from the States, but he's totally jet-lagged, so now I am contemplating whether to be productive in this time or just chill. So far the latter is winning, in that I lay down with a book and then promptly fell asleep. That didn't last long though - my house is SO loud + the sun was shining brightly through my window (a nice change from the practically torrential rain that trapped me in school around 5ish) + my phone kept going off, that I decided to just get up. Really I think I need the rest though, I've been pretty hectic the past few days.

Before I give you an update, I'd just like to point out that I wanted to write my blog earlier when I was stuck in school, but Blogger is blocked on the server because it's classified as pornography, how ridiculous! Also, the new TF maths kid started today, bless him, and he seemed so young and fresh and keen, I couldn't believe it. Just now I sent across a lesson template for him, and yesterday I collected up some useful stuff to give him, and it really hit me, how much time and effort and work has gone into these last two years in teaching. So much really.

I've spent a lot of time with X really, every day since last Wednesday, which has been ace. In retrospect it's probably an error to try and invite X to every little thing that I get invited to do, but I can't help it, I'd just rather have my time with X than without. Consequently I feel a bit at a loss today, in that whenever I have a bit of free time, I want to give it to X. I wonder if this is something to worry about...?

Saw Berts on Saturday, was awesome, him and his friends are just so lovely and friendly and fun, I always really enjoy my time with them. He dealt well with my lecturing, or so I thought. It was good seeing Keble kids on Friday and Thursday too, good fun. Have been doing some gym stuff too, good for me. We saw Cous Cous last night, which was sad actually, I think I am a happy ending kinda person, and Cous Cous was far to "real" to have that.

Just noticed that my F key is a bit messed up, boo, I don't want to buy a new laptop yet. Hopefully I won't need to use it so much. Except now it seems I need to use it all the time.

Ok so I think I will do some chores and then have an early night, woo! Ironing here I come...

Nearly NQT!

I'm listening to MistaJam's show on 1xtra - perfect funky house and bassline tunes for this HOT Tuesday. School was roasting today - the kids were all irritable and whiny cos it was so hot. More of this will clearly happen before the end of term, but it's ok, 13 days left! Plus all the exciting stuff is starting to kick in e.g. sports day, non-uniform day, the summer fete, the charity fun run etc. Woo!

I got my NQT induction forms today, which means I have almost passed this year! Two hurdles remaining - my transition point 3 conversation with my subject mentor (not too tricky) and my NQT folder (more tricky). In theory I can make up some stuff for this folder, and really I don't think it'll be too heavily analysed by my school. In practice though, I need to make it good because my absence total was 28 days (the maximum allowed is 30) meaning the GTC (or whoever scrutinises this stuff) may want to look through it. Hmmm. Should be ok.

Tomorrow is the TF celebration evening, which should be lovely. I think it's about time for TF fix, remind us what we're all fighting for etc. I was kinda reminded today period 4 when I taught the Y12 sociology taster lesson, which was basically an introduction to the course and what it was all about. The kids were pretty enthusiastic and I think I got a lot of them thinking about stuff, so that was good. I enjoyed it actually, making me think really sociology is what I should be teaching.

In final news I am officially a WWOOF member today, and I figure I have enough money to not bother temping that much this summer, so maybe I will WWOOF my time away!

Continuing the weekend aka not working now

It's just gone 8pm and I am contemplating an early night. I'm pretty tired and the thought of creating my NQT folder isn't that appealing. I have fourteen teaching days to go. FOURTEEN! How crazy is that?! I don't know where the time has gone. I guess though that by the time those 14 days are up this NQT folder needs to exist. Hmmm. It's pretty annoying that the teaching standards changed this year - it means that we can't just use the folder we made last year, with a few changes here and there. Oh well, I suppose I must have made some progress and development this year...

I went to Brussels with X this last weekend and it was lovely. I love Belgian beer and waffles and mussels and chocolate. Food generally. I also like walking around and sleeping in the sun in the park and doing cultural stuff and lying in bed and generally being away, it's ace. My bro went to Glastonbury and said it was wicked so I am adding that to my list of things to do.

Today I did some research, after visiting La Musee des Beaux-Arts, on the crazy dude that is Brueghel. I went to see his Fall of Icarus but was then completely captivated and freaked out by The Fall of the Rebel Angels, which is too bizarre for me to want to post up here. I also did some research on croquet, which I need to write up in the BoK. Really I should have been working on various folders/presentations etc, but I couldn't be worrying about that what with all the fun stuff to. I did however prepare for the Y12 taster lesson on Sociology I'm teaching tomorrow, using this website as my inspiration. Who knew so many movies had a sociological element?

In other news the tutor group were good today despite lots of behaviour drama. R is back from her second 3 day exclusion and immediately playing up. A is 5 days on blue report still (the pre/post exclusion report). C is being excluded from tomorrow, and K is shortly to be excluded. I am convinced my form has had more exclusions/kids leaving than any other. We have two kids transferred in from other forms now though, so the numbers aren't too low (18 in the class on a good day).

That's pretty much it for now, except this rather dramatic horoscope:

Satisfying as it’s been to deal with unsettling issues and personal dilemmas you thought you’d just have to live with, you’ll be relieved to learn that Tuesday’s move by Mars into Virgo ends this demanding cycle. What you’ve learnt while you’ve delved into these tricky situations since early May will prove handy when you must make swift decisions. True, it won’t be until you consider your reactions in retrospect that you’ll realise just how much you’ve changed. Note these developments, since they will fuel the lively discussions — and occasional disagreements — that end this week and begin the next. As far out as what’s being considered seems at first, within days those ideas could become solid plans.

Midday Blog

I just read this article about "The Death of Pleasure Blogging" and so thought I'd get on here and ramble a bit.

It's the middle of a school day but today I teach lesson 1 and lesson 5, meaning the middle of the day could be usefully spent catching up on marking etc. or even more usefully spent in the park. Which is what we did. Went to the park and chatted and ate sweets and sat in the sun. Now I feel super chilled and in no way refreshed to work. Mmm, there's something about feeling my bare feet on the grass and my face warmed by the sun that is so pleasing.

I have also read this poem by WH Auden and the Breughel painting too, to feel sad, and then tried to memorise this piece by Simon Patterson, to make me feel inspired. This is exactly the kind of art a Virgo would produce. I suspect anyway.

Lunchtime, yeah!

Three Mondays to go!

Another Monday down. Three more Mondays of term left. Hopefully in the future I will never have to "work" on a Monday again.

Weekend was lovely, as usual. Went to Oxford, and also spent lots of time with X, lovely. Legs are very achey after a pretty hard-core gym session, but it was worth it for an excellent night's sleep last night.

Oddly felt a bit restless during the day, but made up for it after my nap in the afternoon, being super-productive marking and writing complaint letters-wise, giving me lots of time to work on the BoK and also look up some WWOOF-ing in the summer. Have decided I want to work at a rural educational centre, so will hopefully learn some agriculture and also work with kids too. Three potential ones in Somerset, Devon and Snowdonia, so would be ace if I could get two weeks or so at each.

What else? The ICT systems failed this morning after a power-cut on Friday so we were left with no means to do registers, use phones, access email and student data, no internet, no access to servers (and thus files/programs stored on servers) and no IWB access. This was the most critical, since our super-high-tech school has made no provision in most classrooms for ordinary white boards. This means that should the network/your PC crash, then you can't use your classroom board. Believe me, it's pretty difficult to teach maths without having something to write on. Luckily only had two lessons to teach today, and I enjoyed having an excuse for not writing my Y10 reports or my Y8 tutor reports. Plus it was pretty ironic that we were told in the staff briefing this morning that we will be having an ICT inspection next week, hahaha.

I have to make my NQT folder, which will be a tedious paper trail I suspect, but I guess it has to be done. I also have to have my "transition point 3" meeting to talk about what I have learnt this year and what I will do with it. I made the joke that I am "transitioning to freedom" in the staffroom today, which got some laughs. It's true though.

Apart from that, nothing major to report, except little brother is back, which is really cool as he is fun, but also a bit tricky since we argue a bit and I nag a lot and he does things that wind me up a lot. Fingers crossed we will get on alright. I think we are just too similar as people. Oh well, I will try and be a bit more easy-going.

Right, time for some Stephen Fry.

WWOOF weekend

So I got accidentally distracted by the joy of getting my glasses back. I made the impulsive move to drive home and take my contacts out, and then I started sorting the laundry and reading my mail, and before I knew it it was an hour gone and so I decided I best come back to school.

It's so good knowing I don't have to teach until period 5, excellent :) It means I can usefully spend some time beginning my Book of Knowledge - I've done the entry for Mongolian Tents :)

Before I begin the ramble on our WWOOF weekend, I thought I'd mention that I had an excellent observation with my "special" Y7s yesterday, which was just so good to hear because my teaching has been a bit up and down this year compared to last year, but it's great to hear I'm back to being ranked a 1 for "outstanding" as opposed to a "3" for satisfactory. It's so strange how we have the mentality that satisfactory means not good enough. On a downer though, lesson one today was a write-off since one of my top set Y7 kids threw a penny at another one and so the whole lesson was spent trying to sort out who had done what etc.

Anyway, on to more exciting things, my first WWOOF.

We (me, X, one of my maths colleagues, and one of her friends) spent the weekend working on a farm in Polstead, a small village on the Suffolk/Essex border. It was simply lovely. They were an old French and Australian couple, and they lived in a beautiful thatched cottage that is heaped in mystery and intrigue as there was a murder there many years ago. You can read more about all of that here. They had 18 acres and worked the land, which was what the area is historically famous for, but sadly has experienced a real decline in local agriculture. Two of the couple's children live locally still and all three are creative souls, suggesting that country life brings out the more interesting sides of people. P and D themselves were terribly interesting and knowledgeable - full of stories and experience and life.

The work itself was wonderfully satisfying manual labour, enough to make you feel a pleasant ache, but not so much that you grew fed up. We preserved the water around young trees using straw; we scythed down thistles using scary Grim Reaper style scythes; we cleared a meadow of logs; we worked hard in the vegetable garden (my favourite - planting, weeding, making compost, picking fruit, pruning roses, learning all about living off the land, ace); we learnt about the sheep and the animals and the day to day workings. They were such lovely and generous hosts and I really enjoyed working in the morning and having the late afternoon and evening free for fun. We played football with their grandkids and ate glorious feasts full of home-grown ingredients, yum, so tasty. If anything I have a new found inspiration to grow a herb garden too.

On Saturday night we had a cheeky ale and played some darts in the village pub, and then got scared in the dark on the way home by "ghosts" (really a drunk old man), which to me seems like proper country life. The only thing I would change would be the "guard geese" as they were scary and mean and kept chasing me around. I realised I was being a wimp when I saw a 6-year-old just kick at them and then walk past, but by then it was too late, they could sense my fear. Heehee, apart from that though it was excellent, I can't wait to go again!

The whole concept of WWOOF is so clever and useful - workers trade their physical labour for shelter and food, alongside the joys of good company and conversation. We weren't quite back to basics, but far freer than we are in the city, and it was really pleasing and comforting to know that life like that is possible. I urge you to go, just to try it, just to see what life could be like.

Feeling a wee bit freer

Good morning :) I don't usually blog in school but now that my Y10s are off on work experience, there is such a glorious sense of relief and freedom that I feel tempted to post my controversies through the school server. Risky business perhaps.

Yesterday, today and tomorrow I only have two periods that I have to teach, which leaves me ample time to do my school work. Supposedly. Realistically I find plenty of more entertaining things to do rather than mark books, plan lessons, or write reports. My latest pet project is called The Book of Knowledge (notice I have written it in italics, as if it were a real book), which I have decided to make after finding that I spend a lot of time not knowing things and then trying to remember to look them up and then forgetting what they were within days of my research. Thus the book of knowledge will hold all the "useless" facts and concepts that I look up, making them forever concrete and available for perusal.

I finished How To Be Free and am inspired by 90% of it. I think I was subtly trying to be free before, but now I am making a conscious effort to do things right. The weekend WWOOF has started me off in fine stead for this. More on WWOOF-ing in another post to follow shortly.

Now that I am slightly more free than usual (despite having meetings/detentions/clubs every day after school this week) I am due to make a long-awaited return to my urban dance class tonight. This will be exciting since after Into The Hoods I feel my calling is in dance. It's perhaps more of a whisper than a calling, but good fun all the same. Hopefully I will make it there, but not being around on the weekend + the imminent return of LIL BRO means all kinds of household chores like sorting and tidying my rooms may have to take precedent. I hope not.

Right, I will do a little bit of admin work and then return to ramble on the joys of WWOOF-ing. Stay tuned.

Words of Wisdom

Pretty tired and busy with the usual stuff, so instead of my rambles, have a read of these sent by my mother instead. I particularly like the last bit.

Anger is only one letter short of danger.
Great minds discuss ideas;
Average minds discuss events;
Small minds discuss people.
To handle yourself, use your head,
To handle others, use your heart.
If talking is silver then silence is gold.

The tongue weighs practically nothing,
but so few people can hold it
Many people will walk in and out or your life,
but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart
He who loses money, loses much;
He who loses a friend, loses more;
He who loses faith, loses all.

Beautiful young people are acts of nature,
but beautiful old people are works of art.

If someone betrays you once, it's his fault.
If he betrays you twice, it's your fault.
Wealth is found in contentment
Peace is found in isolation
Freedom is found in abandoning of desires
Love is found in abandoning inclination
Pleasure of a long life is found in patience and contentment in a short life

Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become character.
Watch your character, they become destiny.

The weekend

I am going to do my marking in 16 minutes. I hate marking. In six weeks I will be free from marking, woo!

A glorious weekend, with an interesting share of drama. Went to see Into the Hoods on Thursday night on a school trip, was awesome, made me want to be a professional dancer, see it if you get a chance. Then went out drinking and went back to X's as I had a doctor's appointment on Friday morning, thus could have a lie-in. But drama strikes - my car got towed on Friday morning so had to go and rescue it from Hornsey and thus missed everything, whoops! Was WELL ANNOYING, can't believe some loser called up to get my car towed, they coulda just left me a note or something. Made me bemoan the state of society.

Anyway Friday went ok teaching-wise, then went home to bed, then went out to see SATC, which again was good and funny and I liked it a lot. I watched SATC a lot whilst at school and uni, but then kinda stopped, but it was good to see the film. I really want this book from the film, but apparently it's fictional. This is the closest I can get to it. We bought pick'n'mix (which I am loving at the moment, along with whippy ice cream from ice-cream vans) and it cost almost £3! The next day, whilst rambling around Epping Forest and then along Wanstead High St, we bought a similar amount of sweets from Woolworth's and it cost only 13p! So the cinema was a complete rip-off, am gonna sneak my own in in future.

What else? Yesterday tried to go to StokeFest in Clissold Park, but it was rammed, so went to Finsbury Park instead, and basked in the sun with X, lovely. I am loving all this X time :) Interestingly, apparently when I was small I used to ride my tricycle around Clissold Park, wow.

Teaching was ok today, but tiring. Some awful Y8 drama - a girl that was excluded for carrying a knife filmed herself with a boy in Y11 doing you know what, and it's been spreading like wild-fire across the school on mobile phones. Technically it's child pornography since she's only 13, so it's sad and shocking and illegal, thus we have been busy trying to stop kids getting hold of it, and also getting the police involved. Poor girl, she's a mess, I wonder what will happen to her?

In other news, I have looooads of work to do. Part of the joy of not working all weekend means I have loads to do tonight, when it's so nice and sunny that I just want to go and sit outside and read Sunday's papers/ It's ok though, I've been napping, now I'm gonna blitz it. Woo! Then I will read all the match reports from today's Euro games.

29 teaching days to go!

And some wise words from Dinky...

A blind girl hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend.

He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see the world, I will marry you.'

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend. He asked her,'Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?'

The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.

Her boyfriend left her in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: 'Take good care of your eyes, my dear, before they were yours, they were mine.'

This is how the human brain often works when our 'status changes'. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.

Life Is a Gift

Today before you say an unkind word -Think of someone who can't speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat.

Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who's crying out to for a companion.

Today before you complain about life -Think of someone who went too early to heaven.

Before you complain about your children -Think of someone who desires children but they're barren.

Before you argue about your dirty house someone didn't clean or sweep - Think of the people who are living in the streets.

Before whining about the distance you drive -Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

And when you are tired and complain about your job -Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.

But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another - Remember that not one of us is without error and we all answer to the Divine.

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and thank the Divine you're alive and still around.