Sunday, July 19, 2009

Thesis-ing and stuff

Still been working on the thesis. Stata and data work is taking over my life. Not for much longer though - we're away in Scotland this week, hurrah! Going to Edinburgh and Aberdeen, exciting!

Finished Sex and the City series 5, very good, I liked it a lot. Am thinking of watching it backwards now i.e series 4, then series 3 etc.. Also saw Harry Potter 6, which was entertaining. We saw it at the 5:15pm showing, thus it was full of tiny children and their parents (or, given that this is Oxford, more likely nannies). It was funny to watch with them, they were captivated and so excited! Have now been inspired to borrow the books from the library and read them again - they're just so good!

What other news? Now potentially staying in Oxford for my DPhil. Well, certainly not going to Cardiff any more as I've turned down my offer and studentship (yikes!) So we went to see a funny old land lady in Oxford, who has a room to let. It's pretty bargainous I think, but the woman was a proper old Oxford lady so I'm not sure how well we'll get along. Haven't got anywhere else to stay as yet though, so might have to commit there. Hopefully will have paper confirmation of my place and the studentship here soon....

Listening to the cricket while doing some Sri Lankan campaigning. Things are still bad over there. I've been having my head in the sand for a while but it's time to do something useful again. Especially after Friday and yesterday, where most of my time was spent feasting and drinking and having fun - I'm lucky to have all of this so I should try and help others too.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

I'm back

I've been away for ages. Not from Oxford, I mean, but from the blog. EXAMS.

That says it all really. They came and went and they were ok.

Last stages now of the MSc. Writing my thesis. Busy with Stata sorting out all that data. But that means I'm at my computer a lot again so I can type some stuff up now and then. Cool.

Been reading all about gangs and inner-city American poverty and that kinda thing. Well into the "conscious" hip-hop nowadays, wondering how we can harness ourselves to help the people in Sri Lanka. The Tamil people I mean.

What else? Still got my ESRC at Cardiff but thinking about staying in Oxford. It's all a bit complicated and so I'm avoiding thinking about it.

Saw my old maths department last night - good and bad memories of teaching are in my mind now. Seen the same people, doing the same thing really, but enjoying it.

Thought I'd post this one as I liked it. It's the intro from Lupe Fiasco's Food and Liqour album.

Food and liquor stores rest on every corner
From 45th and State to the last standin Henry Horner
J&J's, pale chicken, good finger lickin
While they sin, gin, sin sin at Rothschild and Kenwood Liquors
The winos crooked stagger
meets the high stride of the youth searchin for the truth
They rebel and raise hell across alleyways and in classroom settings
They get high off that drum bass and 20/20 rims
They rock braids, Air Force Ones and Timbs
They drink Hennessy, Hypnotiq and 40's
They call they women hoes, bust downs and shorties
They keep funeral homes in business and gunshot wards of hospitals full
Prisons packed, bubblin over in brown sugar
They keep empty, Westside lots crowded, hype's powdered
The well is running dry, the days of Malcolm and Martin have ended
Our hope has descended and off to the side
Waiting for the reinstallment of the revolution
Because we are dying at the cost of our own pollution
But God has another solution, that has evolved from the hood
I present one who turns, the Fiasco to good