1st week

No classes this term! This should be a good thing. And indeed it is. Except it means that all structure to my life has gone. Well, as much as it can go for a semi-serious Virgo like me.

So I have revision for my 9th week exams to do. And I have my thesis to do. And both of them seem due so far away, and both of them are such big tasks (in my head) to even start, that I am failing to do anything properly productive. I know that once I am in the zone of things it'll be sweet, but just getting started is so tedious.

I think it's error working at my desk in the flat. I need to be somewhere where other people are working. That said though, I am loving having this kinda free time. It all feels like I'll get it done someday, so in the meantime I'm just gonna enjoy things.

Finished The Knife of Never Letting Go, which was so awesome. Am very glad that X can get me the sequel before it's released (good stuff those bookshop proofs). We're going to see X-Men Origins:Wolverine tonight, which am pretty psyched about, I love X-Men and Wolverine and Beast are my faves. Sometimes I wonder what I'd like to have as a super power, and I reckon it would still be Prof X's and Jean Grey's ESP-style powers, I mean, they seem really useful in whatever situation.

Was listening to Asher Roth's Asleep in the Bread Aisle - really funny album, would totally recommend it. Now listening to his mixtape The Greenhouse Effect, which I reckon is even better than the full on album! So we will see how the work goes today then.

Nice holiday but very bad in Sri Lanka

I am back. Lille was awesome, lovely beers and mussels and fun all day, I loved it!

Thesis presentation went well this morning, I'm pleased. Will crack on with revision and thesis tomorrow. Exam dates in 9th week - Monday 22nd and Weds 24th.

Horrible things happening in Sri Lanka, hope it all stops soon, those poor people. Saw some terrible terrible photos of dead people, it's so sad. Worse though are the ones that are still alive in those concentration camps, they're alive now as I type this, and as you read this, suffering in a hell-hole. I don't know what to do. There's a mass protest again in London tomorrow, but even when other government's put pressure on Sri Lanka, they just keep doing what they want, they don't care about whom they kill along the way. It's heart-breaking.

Sad about Sri Lanka

I am a bit despairing. The ceasefire is over in Sri Lanka and the shelling and firing have begun again. I keep reading reports about all the tragedy and devastation and human suffering and I just feel terrible. I don't even know what I can do to help apart from going to these protests and writing to politicians. I sign all the petitions and I comment on the news articles. But it's not enough.

I sometimes think about giving money to things like Vanni Mission and other organisations, but part of me is always fearful that secretly these things are funding the Tigers. I don't know where I stand with them. On the one hand I am glad they are fighting for our people and trying to reduce the discrimination against us. I can see why they exist - people can only be pushed so far. On the other hand, when I read that they are preventing civilians from leaving the war-zone, and when I hear about child soldiers and extortion and human shields and all of that, well, it makes me understand why they are condemned.

I just want the war to stop and the international community to step in and mediate and sort out a political solution. Ideally they need to devolve power in the North so that the Tamils finally have their own homeland. It's funny you know, when I read all the news articles and people complain about Tamil protesters and argue that this conflict is external and not the concern of the British people and why don't all these people just go over to Sri Lanka and protest there, I just think what idiots these people are. Of course we'd love to go back and live in Sri Lanka if we could, if we weren't discriminated against and treated as second class citizens. And of course we'd protest there if we could. Except if you speak out against the government you get silenced. Look at all the journalists and people who have been abducted in white vans never to be seen again. So Sri Lanka is a complete no-go if you've got any sanity. The problem is that there are millions of Tamil people who can't get out of there and so are stuck in the suffering. I wish it would all end. I know I'd love to live somewhere where I was actually meant to be, not just some immigrant.

At least maybe this war is doing one good thing in that it is highlighting to the world all the suffering in Sri Lanka. Perhaps a good solution will come out at the end after all.

Read more here from the BBC and here from the Independent.

My cousin's blog

Also check out my cousin's blog here.

It's about his summer in Ghana working with Engineers Without Borders.

Inspiring stuff!

Some random things

Am confused by some of the new icons on the blogger sign in page. Can people text me now? Or does that mean I can update my blog by phone? Hmm...

Should be working on my codebook, which is actually going ok, but am being a bit distracted. Liverpool vs Chelsea last night was so dramatic, I love watching football when it's like that. Been a bit of a housewife yesterday and today, doing all sorts of chores. It's funny how when you want to be distracted there's always something to do.

Very impressed to hear that Obama visited the MyBnk offices, that's awesome! Also pleased that there was a ceasefire in Sri Lanka - hopefully some of the trapped people made it out. Am still campaigning although it's slowed a bit. I want that war to end and end now. The Tamil people need their own land and then things will be ok.

It was Tamil New Year yesterday so am thinking and wishing for positive things this year. Starting with getting my work done!

Four days in Cambridge

Quick blog due to limited time! Am back at home in London and it's very nice indeed. I love hanging out with my brothers and parents, and also seeing lots of my friends from back home around here. Oxford isn't so far away but I still find I don't see people enough. Very much looking forward to seeing my girls this afternoon and playing some poker with an indoor picnic too (boo rain!)

Spent 4 days last week in Cambridge as a staff member on the Teach First Higher Education Access Programme for Schools. Basically we had 120 really bright 16/17 year olds on the residential course, where they undertook sample lectures and classes, completed workshops on interview skills and university applications, and lived a bit of a Cambridge student lifestyle for a few days. Selwyn college hosted us and were lovely. The food was awesome as was the punting and formal dinner and casino and debating and all the other exciting things we did. I led the Physics and Engineering group (NOT my subject specialism) and I have to admit, I learnt some stuff. My favourite part was the night trip to the Cambridge Observatory where we saw Saturn through a telescope made in 1927! We learnt some constellations and about space, it was totally awesome. Am inspired enough to take an astronomy course at some point.

Another poignant part of the trip was when we had to think about our lives and how they are finite and what we really wanted to achieve by the end of them. The kids made lists and we shared ideas. It got me thinking about some of the things that maybe I'd like to change and to do. It's good to reflect I think.

The kids were all really inspirational, really bright and exciting. I was impressed with their manner and attitude and work ethic. It made me want to teach again, but I guess it's unreal as this trip was it's own little bubble and real school isn't like that.

Ok best get on to some work, have a hectic afternoon and evening of socialising!

Some plans and general ramblings

We are making a butternut squash soup with our new blender, Glenda. It's the weekend and we have been super relaxy - doing cooking and playing squash and laying in bed and reading the papers and watching silly films. Awesome!

Have been back in Oxford for 4 days after going home and then having a meeting in Cardiff. Am currently debating whether to take Cardiff's funding offer or to take a year out and apply for the Civil Service. Have got it into my head that I should work for the government, and maybe eventually become an MP (fits my initials and all). But then again I have three years paid for in Cardiff and I can be near X there, so it's a tough decision. Oxford are "re-evaluating" my application, which doesn't sound promising, so I think I'll have to sack that.

Spurs threw away a win against Blackburn yesterday. Admittedly there were some dodgy reffing decisions, including Palacios' second yellow card, which led to him being sent off and Blackburn capitalising on our chaos to score two goals, but even accounting for that, Spurs still were lacklustre. I think Redknapp should have brought on Pav instead of Bent after about 70 minutes rather than sticking with him when nothing was happening. Spurs' goal only came from a debatable hand-ball penalty award so really we are not doing enough to finish in a decent position. My eyes are on next season now.

Next week I'm in Cambridge on a higher education programme with TF. We're helping Y12 kids get in the zone for uni applications, which I'm looking forward too. It's a packed programme, and I've forgotten what it's like to teach/manage people, but we'll see how it goes.

Been planting in the allotment, now about to watch No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Back after Easter!