Summer!

It's summer! At least, in my head it is. I am packing up and slowly disentangling myself from academic and work commitments in preparation for freedom! Of course I will be back and forth to Oxford, not least because the house needs to be prepared for Michaelmas (my first building project!) and that alone will mean a month here. But, crucially, it will be for a reason aside from my thesis, yippee! I have redrafted my transfer documents again, and they are with my supervisor, so hopefully only minimal work will need to be done after his comments, and then I can submit them and forget about work for the summer :) Come September, I will get back on the case, but I think it's time now to stop.

It's been a good year.

Nature kicks

I only have ten minutes to write this due to the library's policy of "quota" time to stop you messing about on websites for too long. Thus I must be zappy.

I have decided to revive my blog (again) as I have a new passion in my life. The world outside of Oxford and books and thinking and writing and academic stuff. And it's not sports either. It's nature and enjoying the world and getting back in touch with the things around us. This transition has happened slowly but I think I only became fully aware of it this past week. It must have started with the amazing How to be Free, which is a book I seriously recommend to anyone thinking that they need a break from the world. But How to be a bad birdwatcher has also recently played its part, as has Real England. We took a big step forward on the nature-loving front over the Bank Holiday weekend by going walking and camping in the Gower. The last time I camped was out in Africa, but the last time in the UK was during my Silver D of E, where I think I might have not liked it that much really (blister problems). Our camping holiday was full of wind and rain and leaky tents and 45 minutes to boil water for a cup of tea and rolled over ankles and paranoia about tent pegs and naughty children kicking footballs against out tent and it was brilliant! Who cares about all that stuff, we were free! I can't wait for the next one. Walking out and about in the real world, and especially visiting Weobley Castle, was just fantastic. And cooking outdoors and carrying all your stuff in just one pack is really freeing. We had a map and compass and some supplies and off we went. It's so nice to get away from the city for a bit and then just reconnect with the way we might be meant to live, it's so thoroughly restorative. I can't wait for our next trip in the summer!
Watching Springwatch on the BBC this week has only added to the addiction and yesterday we bought some binoculars and christened by viewing our first ever wild kestrel off the cliff at Rhossili! Amazing stuff.

So now I want to become a massive outdoorsy geek type who can identify bird calls, recognise star constellations, predict the weather, and live wild and free. Step by step of course :)

Here are some pics to inspire you (Rhossili Bay and the kestrel!)

New Year's Resolutions!

Firstly: to write my blog again and keep it up to date!

So let's begin again then. I'm back in Oxford, at Nuffield College, now reading for a DPhil in Sociology. My project's to do with second generation children and their integration into society and how this may impact on their educational and psychological outcomes. That's the simple version anyway.

I'm also working on another telethon, which explains why I'm back in Oxford so early. Things still going strong with X - we have a place in Waggytown too so I'm trying to split my time between Oxford and Waggy. Must be better at this this year.

Still reffing, playing a bit of footy (depending on how my knee is behaving), doing some yoga, about to start my term as Welfare Rep. Working hard on the research project I am attached too. Generally keeping busy.

Anyway here are the rest of my resolutions:

2. No meat or alcohol throughout Jan (de-tox time!) Should be ok as the food here is ace, but Jonno's hen night is in Jan too so I'll have to be determined to keep it up. Can't believe I also thought about giving up caffeine at the same time, that's just madness!
3. Make Armful for April happen. More on that in another post.
4. Complete my Transfer of Status by the end of the academic year.
5. Write Reggie the Veggie and Brontosaurus Bus.
6. (Re-) learn my Tamil letters and speak more Tamil.
7. Do a good deed every day.
8. Stop worrying about money (also known as be more responsible with money!)