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.

Virgo this week

Also my horoscope this week. From The Observer. For a change. And because it's true.

Mercury's about to turn backwards, meaning your chances of getting straight answers are twice as good this week as next. At least your chances of finding someone cute to lean on are high - just your luck you have to fall for a rebel or oddball, leaving you to play it straight.

The album's done.

Last week of term!

I have three and a half days left to teach this term. Awesome! That's only 12 lessons since Friday is the 1pm finish day, and I only actually teach lesson one that day.

Tomorrow it will be April. One quarter or 0.25 or 25% of the chronological year has gone. Two thirds of the academic year. I ask again, where has it gone?

I have a lot of work to do. Marking-wise I am about three weeks behind with most of my classes. Despite this, I am struggling to make myself actually mark through. For example, today after the year team meeting I got home 6ish and decided to get my Y10 books out of the way. Figured I could do it in an hour. Only really started marking about 2 hours later. Whoops. I bought some stuff on Amazon, answered all my emails, messed about on Facebook, called some people, read the papers online etc. It's so easy to distract myself. Boo, this weekend, the first of the holiday, may end up being all about marking.

Planning too is out of the window. I winged the day today, which was ok actually since I only taught three lessons and I had already planned one of them before. I've noticed that now I've pretty much taught every topic, it's a little bit easier, since I already know good ways of teaching them. That said, next term I will need to get back on form, particularly if I want to pass my NQT year! My folder is looking pretty barren.

The week is busy. It's Y11 awards ceremony tomorrow night. We are all grumpy about having to go since we didn't teach many of them and it's a long evening of boring speeches etc. I suppose it is a celebration of achievement, but when you have so much work to do it feels like time could be better spent. Would I spend it better though? I guess I'll just take Gilead along with me :)

Weds night is a G&T training meeting for the HEAPS Program for which I'm an Advocate. Should be good stuff I think, I'm enthusiastic about this program. But again, I should be working. Or at least going to the gym.

What else is new? I saw Bertie in Wendover this weekend, was awesome, it's proper villagey countrysidey and I loved it. There's something about living in London that makes me want to escape. X had a party on Saturday night, which was good drunken fun. A few more people know about X now, which is a good feeling I think. Weekends are like holidays, but then weekdays are like work. That's a deep sentiment.

Some important geography:

- the capital of Tibet is Lhasa
- the Argentinian plains are called Pampas

Last horoscope of this term, not really sure what it's about:

Few situations are more uncomfortable than those in which you must question those whose actions you regard as suspect. Obviously, you would prefer the luxury of having reliable information, but with so much in transition, facts arrive piecemeal. If you’re right, something must be done. Ironically, others are well aware of problems, and the more forthright you are in expressing those concerns, the better things will go. The surprise is that they’ve also been wondering what you’ve been up to. Once you’re speaking frankly, promise to keep it up. That’s because, while you may have cleared up the current crop of mysteries you’re facing, yet more are promised next week.

Naughty Kids, Good Lessons, and Time

Monday week B is over. There are only 12 teaching days left of the term. And then I'll just have one term left of my NQT year. Where is the time going? In equal parts it seems to drag and rush by, and now it's my "half-birthday" and half of my time being 24 is up, and where has it gone?

My classes are ok for the most part. I taught some good lessons today, using this fun starter activity in all the maths ones. I'm more and more convinced that if the kids get into the starter, then the lesson is a good one. So now I will do my best to make the starters accessible and fun, as they should be.

C is back in my Y10 class after parents' evening last Thursday. He was good today, I think because at parents' evening I told most parents their kids were not going to get C grades at this rate, which shocked them a bit, good.

Crazy H pushed an LSA three times today, got kids to throw books at him, and also had a fight in his Art lesson. He's lost the plot, I don't know what to do with him. Similarly with another C, who was moved to my tutor group because his other tutor couldn't stand him, and now he is starting to go back to his old ways, including punching someone today, and also being accused of indecent behaviour. Our school is so up and down.

In other news, tonight is my chill night, and I should be marking, but due to the joys of Good Friday, I've been setting homework from today, so I only have one lot of books to mark, excellent! The rest of my week is pretty busy, as is my life generally, although recently I find myself bailing on things to spend more time with X. I think it's because I've started of thinking of time as my most limited resource so I may as well do what I most want to do with it. A good plan I think. We're going to Stonehenge this weekend, should be good fun. Have also booked my Spring holiday to Toronto, whoop whoop! Just gotta get through the 12 days first, I'm optimistic. And dramatic. In equal measures.

My horoscope:

Every Virgo respects the need to be painstaking when dealing with delicate situations, which is exactly what you’re facing now, and have been for weeks. Although it may not seem as if this process — which has been tedious and intriguing in equal parts — is coming to a close, it does, and suddenly. So say whatever you must and gather whatever facts you still need during the week’s first half. This frees you, so that when the focus shifts to practical matters, just before the week’s close, you’re ready. What’s more, this is so contentious that you’re relieved you familiarised yourself thoroughly with the minutiae involved. Better yet, in clearing up these problems, you’ll eliminate a few others as well.

Quick Ramble

My job is being advertised in the TES - wow, kinda final huh? I'm glad glad though, phew, means my department will be sorted for September.

Aaargh, I'm so tired. I should learn that drinking on Sunday always makes me feel rough on Monday.

8E were naughty today, I can't control them, and now without a Head of Year, it's even tougher. Am starting not to care though. Bad bad. I have 81 more teaching days to go, I have to keep caring. Can see it slipping though. For example, I no longer set detentions for missed homework with my Y10s - partly because they don't come, partly because it's not worth the battle, partly because it means I can mark the books faster because fewer students have done the work. JADED.

What else? Horoscope here...

Bitter experience has taught you that, thrilling as others’ descriptions of ideas, ventures or even intriguing individuals may be, you must check things out yourself. Still, the dramatic changes ushered in by the Virgo eclipsed Full Moon two weeks ago got you wondering whether you’ve been overly cautious. You have. And if you refuse to go along with this week’s developments, you’ll not only miss out on worthwhile information about what’s happening, you could also miss out on the opportunities they bring. During periods of transition such as this, there are no guarantees. Stick with things that are certain and you’ll soon be watching others overtake you in the fast lane.

My gosh, take a risk, leave the plan, stop being cautious...are they talking about Virgos?

And finally, heard the new Kooks song, good fun indeed.

Roll on the busy busy week - but first, BED.

PS It's National Bed Month!

A lovely weekend

It's dusk outside, the sun's half-way setting, and the sky is a beautiful beautiful pink. It makes me feel awesome. Not that I didn't feel awesome already.

I've had a lovely lovely weekend. Dashed out of the dramas of school on Friday, and to be honest, until just now I had completely forgotten about school, such is the power of my feel-good. I helped X move some stuff into the new place, lots of fun driving, it was pretty cool to be in London in the traffic. No, really. We went to the cinema to watch Juno - was really good, well worth watching, although she seemed to find it a bit too easy to give away her baby, but anyway.

Saturday morning drove back home, and then did my "errands", hahaha, mostly buying random stuff. In the afternoon headed up to Oxford for a school reunion dinner at LMH, excellent fun. Managed not to drink (for the second night in a row, oh yeah! Driving makes me responsible) and had X-related cravings so was lucky enough to be able to leg it back to X's after dinner. I love being around X, it's just awesome, and when I finally left and went outside, it was like proper spring, beautiful, birds and flowers and sun and everything. Driving back home along the river with a big smile on my face, I felt really content.

Got home today 3ish, and since then have been in a daze. I think I am all loved up, that would probably explain my dreamy state. I am mildly worried for my health - being so day dreamy got me rather lost on the way home, and now I just want to sit around and think about X and the weekend we have just had, rather do my lesson plans. It's ok though, my FB horoscope states that "the work will still be there later on. Take the time now do something with someone you care about". Mmmm.

One more week to half-term. I hope it's a good one. Well, how can it not be? Big smile. With teeth.

Quick Round-Up + Rambles

I have just marked two sets of class books. Phew. So hard-core has my marking been that I actually have those finger dents, which I don't remember having since finals. Phew again.

I still have my Y12 essays to mark, plus that long-forgotten risk assessment for the Cambridge trip to complete. Boo. I don't want to work any more tonight, I'm tired. I've already had a 20 minute disco nap, and that was actually super-useful since my marking was twice as fast afterwards, but I fear that if I put my head down now, that'll be it.

So what's been going on? Busy weekend, went to a housewarming, a 21st and spent 7 hours in the pub yesterday. Did my lesson planning on Saturday morning, a real impact session, I felt I owed it to the work. Plus I had a smile on my face. The housewarming was lovely, loads of booze, but managed to keep it reasonable. The house was in Kennington, but it was on a square and really nicely laid out, so I was jealous. The 21st was a family thing, and miles away, and I was totally falling asleep by 11pm. Crashed out in bed by half one, but somehow woke up at half eight on Sunday morning so hit the gym, yay! Made it ok to feast in the pub later. No comment regarding the Spurs defeat. Or the rubbish regarding buying Woodgate - what an error, they might as well just as buy me, except I would be better.

What else is new? Today taught some good lessons, I love my Y12s, they make me laugh so much. Y10 were good lesson 1, and so were my lower-ability 7s. Am worried about my top set Y8, I think I'm being too casual with them, and as a result we're not doing as much work as we need to. We had an assembly on the Holocaust - kids in my tutor group were talking and laughing through it so I shouted at them and kept them back afterwards. I can't remember being so disrespectful over something so important, particularly since if you consider the kids, well, if the Nazis had had their way around the world, only about three of my tutor group would still be around. And I wouldn't be. I guess they just need to mature.

After school we had a meeting with "K" and "S" and their English teacher and the 2nd in charge of English. The girls have been kicked out of English after some really dramatic conflict between the teacher and the kids. It's a nightmare, but today we seem to have made some progress on the reconciliation front. The girls were mature and gave some good ideas, and I think the English teacher is trying to give them a second chance too. I hope it works out - these are bright girls, they have a lot of potential, but I'm worried they're getting in too much trouble. They already have over 50 incident reports between them.

That said, crazy H had already picked up 50 plus two temporary exclusions before Christmas. He is going to be permanently excluded, he just can't behave. Today he lost the plot - 3 incident reports out of 5 lessons, plus he lost his red report, plus he was messing about in assembly. Sometimes he's just like that. It's such a shame, what's he going to do?

In other news, my horoscope:

You’re probably still reeling from the amazing offers of January’s last half, which were so good that you’re carefully evaluating them before committing. While they’re undoubtedly just that good, with your ruler, Mercury, retrograde from Monday until February 19, problems are bound to surface. Actually, the minor errors this cycle triggers should be helpful — you’ll want to slow the pace and will have numerous questions you want answered. These aren’t urgent, however, while situations involving those closest are. Make lending them support your priority and your kindness will be returned many times over.

I don't like the way it has "errors" in it. Also I lost a Scrabble game to X this weekend. Devastating. I genuinely thought I'd never lose. Humph. On the plus side, I've learned a new word - panpharmacon - a medicine for all ills. In seven letters, panacea.

Sunday Chilledness

I was on my way to the gym when I got distracted by my computer. Whoops. By on the my way, obviously I mean about to leave my room, no chance of having even got down the stairs.

Today I feel good. I am still very very hot, but I feel chilled too, emotionally I mean, not skinwise. Remarkably well rested. I am pleased with my ability to keep things under control and make the right decision. It helps to make the right decision when you are practically falling asleep at the dinner table.

Ish's birthday dinner at Ruby Blue last night was really good, although alas I was only there for just over an hour, so didn't have time to catch up with lots of people. But that's ok, my conversation woulda been shocking anyway. On the plus side, my parents anniversary dinner was lovely. We went to a Chinese place in Northfields, which was strange at first since we hardly ever eat actual Chinese in a restaurant, but the food was very good. I had king prawns with green peppers in a black bean sauce, and it was super tasty, I could eat it all day today too. Quite a pricey place, and I was initially cross with the service, but I got over it after quite a bit of yummy Chilean red. They all had a good time anyway...I know this because I got home before them, hahaha.

What else is good right now? Lots of things really, mainly weekend orientated, all of which make me forget about the week. An excellent Friday night/Saturday day with X, yum. As such today I am having a non-grumbling day, especially with regards to my knee, my hangover, my tiredness, and my super-busy-panic-ness, all because none of these things apply today :) Also, Spurs won, and Keane scored his 100th goal, good stuff. I found a bag of trousers in my room. It's four weeks to half-term and I've decided not to quit until the summer, mmm, focus. I only have three things on my to-do list and they are all very manageable. Plus I am intending on having a nap in about 3 hours, woo, I love sleeping in the afternoon.

My horoscope is looking promising too...

Over the past months, there’s been talk of exciting ideas or offers, but not much has come of it. Monday’s stunning aspect between Jupiter and Saturn, which is in your sign, not only brings many of these to fruition, but ushers in several unexpected opportunities, too. Ordinarily, you’d evaluate each, then decide which to tackle first. But, with the uncompromising Pluto moving to accent these on Saturday, a lot of those decisions will be made for you. Worrying as this sounds, rarely has anybody been so well positioned to benefit from even unsettling developments, as the events of the coming weeks amply illustrate.

And here's yours, now that I know you care about them...

So, to the gym!

Update 7pm

I'm about to start lesson planning. But I don't really want to. I'm listening to a song with the line in it "If you're hot and you know it," and I am just SO hot, it's disturbing. I am thinking I may have to put shorts and a vest on, full gear is too much. Also disturbing - I couldn't sleep in my nap. I gave myself two hours, and no deep sleep. Rubbbish. On the plus side, I had an awesome session at the gym, where I caned my run even with a dodgy knee, and lifted more than usual. Plus I had a lovely reflection in the sauna, where I wondered how I had lost weight despite not being in the gym for two weeks, and still having "Christmas weight", but then I realised it must be muscle that I have lost, which is also trash. Then I went on an impromptu shopping spree, but managed to kinda control it. Hmm, anyway, putting all this together, along with my slightly nutty behaviour on Friday at school (totally nailed my observation, but was a wee bit hyper in the morning, had to be covered for a lesson, and then went nuts at my Y9 class - they have a whole class detention after school tomorrow because I just couldn't keep them under control, and I kept losing my temper - threw 7 of them out, plus kept making them stand in silence behind their chairs, weird), I am a little worried that maybe I might be getting a bit high. Hmm. But if I notice it, then I can't be, right? Or can I? It's kinda been like this all week, but there are a lot of my "warning signs" in there. Hmmm. Will try not to be worried.

Busy Weekend of Birthdays

I am feeling pretty good. This is despite going back to bed at 11am with a 6/10 hangover. Two days in a row of going back to bed before midday is surely a sign that I'm still a student.

So why do I feel good? Because I did my lesson planning yesterday, excellent! Lesson planning Sundays is a thing of a past, I am going to try and do it on Saturday, or even in the week itself, so that I feel like I have an actual day off. That's how I feel today, and it's good. Don't get me wrong, my To Do list has 16 things on it, but whatever. I have to mark my Y12 essays and make a profile template for my tutor group, so obviously I am messing about online instead.

I am not repeating last night again. I tried (and kinda succeeded) in attending three birthdays, but it was such a stress and drama, all that moving around and rushing and being late and downing drinks, that in future it would probably be better just to put in a proper appearance at one. I feel the worst about the first birthday because I got lost and was almost 45 minutes late, then grabbed some starters and had to run. I think I will call her to make up for a "snatch and grab". The other two were more chilled, in that by that time I had gotten used to being late and stressed, so I just got over it and enjoyed them. Was good to see some school people, some TFers, and most definitely my buddies from university. The third birthday, where I spent the most time, was just awesome, a proper reunion of maybe forty people, was great! I loved chattering to them all, and in fact doing some quite good banter on the one hand, and some serious deep chatter with a few in particular on the other hand.

But then the downside. I had a shocking amount to drink. Luckily mostly it was white wine (a bottle and a half over the night) but also some pear cider, and here's the real killer, about four shots of Jack Daniel's. Hence at 1am when I decided I should head home, I was half-cut and confident that I would make it home, despite having a minimum understanding of where I was and how I was getting there. I lost someone along the way, and then decided to get on a random night bus, which I got off when I realised I was in Leyton, thinking it'd be easy to get home from there. Errr. No. Luckily I have a credit card, so I just hailed a black cab and paid a lot to make it back. So a tiny bit of sense in me. But a kinda waste of money since if I'd been organised (and not so drunk) then my trusty night bus coulda got me back. Worse than the money though, I think I am more cross with my cavalier attitude, which is just dangerous. Being like that and wandering around at night is just silly, I need to be more responsible.

What else? I can't remember if I mentioned the birthday on Friday night, which was lovely and far more sensible. It was another TFer's drinks, which was super funny in that she is the most cynical and critical person I know, thus making me over-the-top optimistic just to wind her up. Met her ex-boyfriend for the first time, and he is a banter-king, with the kind of silly tangential banter that I really like. That said, generally across the weekend I found that it was nice to be able to chatter away to boys without any hidden agenda. One of my friends was complaining about how girls just lead him on when they have no intention of getting anywhere with him, which I'm probably guilty of, but this weekend I'd like to think I didn't do that, even with my ridiculous top!

Here's my horoscope, you can find yours by clicking here and then typing in your star sign into the search box.

Your problem isn’t recognising that you must review arrangements; it is striking a balance between delving into these enough to find out what is likely to work in the future and obsessing about details. Obviously, you’ll want to do what you can to preserve the plans and relationships you’ve worked hard to create. But, between now and the month’s close, changes around you turn some of these into burdens. Your instincts are already telling you which they are. Now you need the courage to unload them.

I have no instincts about these burdens. Except drinking. Hmm.

And finally, a good article about bipolar, and a good article on a sleep exhibition in London. SO going there soon!

Impending Hangover + 2008 Horoscope

Oh gosh. I think I am rather hammered. And tomorrow I will know this for the truth.

We've been to Aunty N's Christmas party - an annual shindig for Clayhall's socially aware Tamil crowd. An invite is coveted, but we are always invited because my brothers and I run the entz for the adults. Except tonight they left it to me. So I drank a shed load of whisky and caused some chaos. Oh dear. Things were still entertaining, but I realise now that I am too much of a "live for the moment" type. People love it, but the consequences are tricky.

So, my horoscope for the week. Bodes not entirely well....

As can happen to anyone, you discover a situation in which you’ve acted unwisely. Ideally, you catch it before others notice, so you can make emergency repairs. However, with the hot-headed Mars retrograde and having returned to the part of your chart that involves pivotal decisions, you’re unlikely to be able to keep anything under wraps. Your best strategy isn’t just to be open, but to ask others for guidance. Since situations remain tricky for all of January, getting others involved means you’ll be sharing vital information — and the burden for getting things right.

What on earth have I got to keep under wraps or be open about?! And for ALL of January. Rubbish.

And for the year...

Most Virgos have lived with their relentless inner critic for so long that life without it is almost unimaginable. During this year of reckoning, however, you’ll realise where it comes from and, more important, discover how to eliminate it and its incessant judgments. This process is triggered by the uncompromisingly truthful Pluto, which, combined with the benevolent Jupiter, introduces you to people or situations so positive, there’s simply no room for negativity. Initially, such happiness may seem unlikely, especially around the unsettling Virgo eclipsed Full Moon in late February. But this actually highlights what must go. Begin this clearout — personal and emotional — of your habits and even your goals, and opportunities will soon replace what has gone. Suspicions about such amazing good fortune are natural, but you swiftly realise not only that things are as good as they seem, this happiness has come to stay.

Well, the end of that is good, but clearout my habits and goals? Remove my inner judgement? No room for negativity? What the heck? This can't be a horoscope for REAL virgos! Find yours here.

Hangover.

Dazed after Heaven

Early this morning I was trying to remember what I was doing this time last year. A pretty fruitless activity, clearly I have no idea, but I'm sure this time last year I would have never have predicted what I'd be doing this time this year. That all sounds very mysterious, and really it is. I feel like a snowflake, or a leaf, or a twig, or a piece of dust...basically anything small that is being carried away and completely overpowered by the outside forces, but not in a bad way, more like doing exactly what was intended all along.

We went to Heaven last night, which was dramatastic and good fun. It's a huge venue in Charing Cross, with loads of different rooms and different music. Lots of stereotypical gays, and then the fabulous looking boys too. They even had drag queens, podium dancers, and a weird Christmas dance performance which was rather freaky. Went with a rather eclectic (slash motley) crew, but it worked. I loved seeing Mosser again after an extended absence - he's such a good dancer. His friend Rob too was lots of fun, we clicked straight away...I can see why there are so many "fag hags" around, gay boys are fun! Gid and CK, and Mouche and her friend Tom also came along, a nice complement to us original three. I think we got back around 5 or something like that, and I feel like I slept for about 30 mins, so I am a bit stunned now, but it was totally worth it, it's a good stunned. I probably won't say any more about that on here, but I figure I have rambled lots to various readers so you've got the basics.

Haha, that said, this still isn't going to make any sense to anyone, I just realised. I am trying to process it myself. I was trying to explain it to N and B when we caught up yesterday afternoon, and they kinda understood, and so did Jade during our hilarious piano lesson (why do I insist on making up my own music??), but I guess if I don't understand then other people won't.

I'm listening to Feist, from the iPod adverts, and Canadian too, bonus! And loving the fact that I don't have to work tomorrow :)

Hmm, I think I will stop now and get back into my happy daze. I hope at least some of you get to feel like this too.

And my horoscope...awesome!

After a period that’s been consistently demanding but has often brought tremendous rewards, this week’s wonderful and — probably — unexpected developments could seem bewildering. While Saturn, the planet behind this austere cycle, remains in your sign, those challenging situations won’t be abating. And there’s a new player on the scene — Jupiter, which is accenting love and life’s pleasures, and will continue to do so for more than a year. This means, first, that things aren’t nearly as urgent as they seem. And, second, you’d best learn to juggle duties and pleasures, since this is only the start of a very busy period in your life.

Sober Rambles

It's Sunday. Back in the day I think I used to lesson plan on Sundays. I have given this up. One week of school to go, and the kids will be demanding "fun lessons" left, right and centre. Plus Friday probably won't be a proper day of lessons, and then when you take away four afternoon lessons and one PSHE games lesson, well, I'm left with nine lessons to plan. Hardly seems worth spending Sunday doing.

I do, however, have to complete my Learning Log. Again. Boo.

So I am tired. I went to bed very late, about 7 hours ago, after J from TF's birthday shenanigans. Crucially, I am not that hungover. Either that or I am so used to my Friday night hangover that it just seems normal. Anyway, we went to the Covent Garden Comedy Club and saw some excellent stand-up. It was held at Heaven, which is pretty fun club anyway, and a really intimate stand-up venue. I was properly laughing my head off for most of it. I haven't been to much stand-up since my gap year, when I was quite into it, but it's definitely something else that is going back on the list. I think I liked it so much because I find everything funny - whether it's offensive, complaining, self-deprecating, fantastical, autobiographical, whatever, it's all funny to me. Obviously, those of you that know me know I think I'm hilarious, but these people are on another level. That said, if I had all day every day to read the paper and contemplate my life, well, I'm sure I could think of a few gags.

The tickets included entry into Motion, which is just on the riverbank near Embankment. Good fun there too. Enough said. When I combine the chatter of last night with a college friend's Christmas party on Friday night, it's pretty obvious why I've practically lost my voice. It's at that sore/husky stage, where it could go either way. School will patently push it into non-existence. Anyway, the party on Friday was my first Christmas party of the season and it was really good, mainly because it was full of people I knew from college and from Oxford and from my gap year, so it was great to catch-up. The mulled wine went down a treat, even when it became purely hot red wine, and it was just nice to see how far everyone had come and catch-up with those people I've just not seen for ages.

To keep up the busy-ness of the weekend I had lunch and went to the Natural History Museum yesterday with someone I shall just call X because I know what you are all like with gossip. The only downer was seeing my mangy fox daemon on display - a truly verminous specimen. Apart from that, I am having fun there. It's kinda weird how I feel, but I like it.

I am pleased with the reintroduction of many non-drinking activities to my life. And also the way that I have swapped school for an actual life. Good times.

Ending on a dramatic note though, here's my Sunday Times horoscope for this week. Am already nervous about Tuesday...

Because you think things through carefully when you first hear about them, you’re rarely caught off-guard. But when events involve a form of transformation, as is the case with those triggered by Tuesday’s encounter between Jupiter and Pluto, there's little chance you could anticipate the sequence and impact of events. That being the case, forget about analysing everything and live one day, or even one hour, at a time. Because changes involve matters close to home, there could be dramas. But, with Jupiter showing its more benevolent face next week, you’ll soon be smiling again.

I hope so.

Belated Sunday Noon Rambles

This is my horoscope for this week, courtesy of the Sunday Times:

This week’s events pit your fundamental practicality against the more canny side of your nature that has a knack of observing developments and making remarkably accurate predictions. The practical side insists that you need to consolidate arrangements involving personal, domestic and relationship issues. But your intuition says that because the sweeping changes you’re observing would rearrange various elements of your life anyway, it’s not worth bothering until the dust has settled. What you can do is tidy up mundane obligations so that, when the changes you’re anticipating begin early next week, you’re ready for them.

Good, I like mundane obligations, they sound decidedly drama-free. But I do have a pressing To-Do list that is gnawing at me, despite my attempts at ignoring it. Perhaps it's more of a Maybe-Do list?

Last night I was at my uncle's daughter's birthday party, a 5th birthday party I might add, so it was hilarious. Proper old-school - party bags and hats, musical chairs and statues, party poppers etc. For the kids AND for the grown-ups. I did the night entirely sober, and it was good fun, but for some reason I woke up this morning with what feels like a hangover. This is strange. I'm sure I didn't drink.

I also managed to pop my shoulder out while turning over in bed last night, that wasn't fun at all. There's an unpleasant ache in my arm now, and if I allow myself to think about it, I can just about remember the excruciating pain of a distended shoulder. Ouch. Dang my loose ligaments.

So due to my fatigue I have bailed on lunch, but am due at a fancy pants 1st birthday party in about 2 hours. Good-oh. What is the deal with all these kiddy parties? Have I regressed somewhere along the way? I think I may need to drink through this one...

More drama

Oh b*gger. I just read my little profile ramble and it talks about "disasters in and out of the classroom". I can't remember the last time I had a disaster in the classroom, mainly because I have been out of it for so long. Well, it feels loooong.

Given the absence of education-type matters, let's switch to my other favourite topic - my crazy. Before yesterday I hadn't told my folks about it because I'd imagined it'd be similar to telling them that I had some kinda STD or some other awful, shameful thing. Anyway finally built up the bottle, and it was worth it for the relief and also their hilarious responses.

My father's went from "I've never heard of that but I'm sure you don't have it" to "you should quit your job, no-one ever asked to you help poor kids" to "how can there be anything wrong with you? We know everything about you and if there's something wrong then we can fix it. But there's nothing wrong with you". Very interesting and useful. I mean that loosely. My mother was more practical going from "we need to get another blood test" to "you should quit your job" (aaah, that old favourite) to "let me call one of my friends at the Cromwell, they can sort this out. Although you know that since the 15th of Nov the planets are not in a good place for you". Whoever said science and religion were separate forces must be wrong.

So yes, that is the latest in that little drama. Oh and of course school and various other people are getting involved too. I think I may have to hide under my duvet.

Varnish; Squash; Books

My gosh the house stinks! All this varnish is making me really rather light-headed. Tried opening the windows, but frankly would choose being a wee bit high over freezing my ass off almost every time.

My Metro horoscope suggested that the Pisces Moon is making me unproductive. I am happy to use this excuse. Rest and relaxation is called for, it said, so I have decided to do just that. The guilt is nagging, but only quietly, I can block it out.

Played 4 games of squash with Ish last night, thoroughly enjoyed myself. I forget how much I like Ish until I see her again. She is one of those where you can jump straight back in to the level of intimacy you had before, as if we had never really been apart. The games were good, and the chatter was good too, but I am sad for her. She hates her job, and it's messing up her life. Such a shame, she has so much potential. For those of you that don't know her, she is perfectly vivacious, the life and soul of whatever's going on, the kind of person who can be everything to everyone. But yesterday she wasn't fully herself, and she blames her job. I hope she can get out. Actually, I just hope she can get back to being her old self.


In other news, I finished A Brown Man and Other Stories, and am now suitably paranoid about my coffee coated exterior (literally, I tipped the cafetiere too far, but like the smell, particularly as it is attempting to overthrow the varnish). I have moved on to The Amber Spyglass. Finally I hear you say Bladey. Well, yes, and no. I am about 6 pages in and already finding it tedious. I am sure I'll love the middle bit of the story, but I hate getting into it. It doesn't help that I went to the library after the gym this morning and now have 7 other books that I'd rather read. It's going to be a battle.

I may be out drinking tonight, so I apologise in advance if I'm on poor form tomorrow. Except I won't be because I'm so excited about seeing all you girls again, especially in such a swanky venue! Woohoo, it's gonna be lovely, can't wait to catch up!

Drama Day

Taught three lessons today. Plenty of drama to go around.

Lesson 1: Year 7 (the x half of the year) were meant to complete their initial assessment test. First 15 minutes all good. Then one of the lads from my tutor group knocks on the door. "Miss, none of our class know where we're supposed to be for lesson 1". Oh dear. Leave my class for 5 minutes while I pop over to the main school. Lo and behold there are two Year 8 groups without teachers or classrooms milling about in the main corridor. Was surprised that things hadn't kicked off already; give them 5 more minutes and trouble would definitely start. One of the SLT is there trying to sort them out. She says she desperately needs the SLT chap in charge of timetabling. He's currently teaching in the room opposite where I am so I offer to briefly cover his room while he sorts out these kids. Obviously this takes up the whole lesson and he's not seen until break. Sooo, back in the maths block I am switching between my Year 7 maths test and the Year 7 science lesson next door. In the science lesson I have the kids drawing the equipment from their last lesson experiment and writing up methods. Have my eye on the other class too. Suddenly I hear a yell. Step back into my maths room and two boys are having a fight in the middle of the room. Excellent. Sort all that out and order them back in at lunch time for detention. When I return to the science class, one of the boys has managed to catch his trousers on a chair and is now causing a nice little scene. More fun.

Period 2 is spent sorting out the incident sheets for the fight and then trying to fix my tutor group documentation.

Period 3: Year 10. That kid, A, is back in my class. He saunters in late, uniform a mess, no stationery. Finally get him to open up his book. Lots of back chat so I ask him to leave the room to calm down. He comes back in and settles a bit, although he is still trying to push the boundaries. End of the lesson he thrusts his red report card in my face. "Sign it," he demands. How rude! I begin my lecture on politeness and how he is meant to put his report card on my desk at the start of the lesson. He starts kicking off, and then, the final straw. "You won't sign my report because I'm black and you don't like that". I am still so cross that he's said this that I have nothing more to say.

Period 4 was spent fuming and sorting out incident reports for him and another rather less naughty boy from that class.

Lunchtime: manage my detainees and plan for the afternoon, whilst trying to ignore day's drama so far. Also call the annoyed mother of a boy in my tutor group - he is studying Urdu when he asked to be in Spanish. Urdu?! Walk down the stairs and am about to leave the maths block. See a kid's head fly into the main door, and then two boys tearing pieces out of each other. Struggle to get the door open, but thankfully another teacher appears and yanks them apart.

Period 5: Year 9s after lunch woulda been trouble, but actually they were good as gold.

Tutor time: also manageable, despite issuing them with spelling lists! I vow to get my form under control. Have to keep one behind for constant talking.

And finally, just when I think I can get out of there, I check my pigeon hole. Three incident sheets for crazy H. I haven't seen him since morning registration, but clearly he has been causing trouble. Bunking lessons, calling teachers "pr*cks and bullsh*t, and my personal favourite....hiding in bushes and refusing to come out to go to lessons. We have no Head of Year at the moment so I have no clue what I'm supposed to do to sort him out.

It's a good thing I love drama.

My horoscope today:

The solar eclipse in Virgo suggests major life changes are imminent for many Virgos. You cannot remain the same and events from as long ago as 2003 are finally being sorted out. Don't try to tread the middle ground. The energy of these times says you have to come off the fence and make choices. So far this year you've been pulled from pillar to post, seemingly at the mercy of unpredictable changes. But you have a chance to break the mould, throw it away and begin again. It's time to take some small chances.

That all sounds fun doesn't it? My favourite bit is "the energy of these times". Right.

More horoscopes + the dread

I hardly slept last night. I'd like to think it was because I was in "weekend mode". But I think really it was because I was dreading school today. All night and before school I was just dreading going there. But, after running a healthy 4km by 7am, well, I was up for it a bit more. And, actually, school was wonderful. All the usual drama (and then some!) but I kept my cool. By the end of the day I was finding it hard to imagine not being there. Essentially switching from one extreme to the other in 24 hours. A bit of bipolarity applied to school-life. Gotta keep it interesting.

But then I read my horoscope in the free Daily Mail I picked up in the gym.

The coming two days are some of the most important in the year, with some difficult but necessary decisions to be made. Have a detached and objective look at the past week or so and ask yourself what - or who - you can let go of. See it as some necessary weeding and pruning so the future can come in without having to negotiate worn-out emotional baggage. The key words for you at the moment are effectiveness and efficiency. Functionality is another and suggests new beginnings. But that's tomorrow.

Scary? I think so. This is the kind of ominous horoscope that leaves me wanting to hide in my bed all day tomorrow, listening to the Greatest Hits of the Lighthouse Family, Sade, John Legend and Texas. Except I can't because my silly MP3 player is still broken. So I will have to start up that whole dread thing again. Am so bored of that.

In the world of Hollyoaks, Sarah found out about Craig and John-Paul today. So dramatic, it was awesome! What on earth will happen now? I thought it was weird how easy everyone found it to pick sides. Although, upon reflection, I guess it was pretty clear whose side everyone would be on. I guess our own world isn't so black and white.

And lastly I took this article in to show my Y12 sociology group. They loved it.

Scary Horoscope

Just read my horoscope for the week. Scary....

"Concentrating on you and your needs is challenging at the best of times, but it will be particularly tricky this week. On the one hand, Tuesday’s Virgo eclipsed New Moon marks a period of deep personal reflection. On the other, the combination of this and late August’s lunar eclipse brings chaos around you, and you’re worried things need to be attended to. They can wait. In fact, they must wait until you’ve had a chance to give serious thought to whether it’s time to alter or simply abandon certain plans. Only once you know what’s staying should you even consider responding to the changes around you."

Read your Sunday Times Horoscope here.

Pre-school Greece Chatter

I think it was this time last year that I started my blog. A whole year has gone by...where's the time gone, eh? NQT Miss P, rock n roll.

Got back from our sailing week in Greece this afternoon. Even sitting at my desk 5 hours later I have a vague feeling of motion and swaying. And the accompanying nausea of course. Nothing at all to do with the two week hangover I seem to have accumulated.

So the sailing itself was pretty awesome. Like really awesome. A lovely boat, blue seas, sunshine, islands, Greek food and drink, friendly people, the occasional useful wind(!). I loved all of that - hopping from island to island in the Ionian, learning new skills, both sailing and banter-wise. Things were fine until day four - the jinx day for most of our holidays.

To put it mildly there may have been a teeny tiny bit of drama over the holiday. By tiny I mean just ridiculously out of control drama. Perhaps I am even a little emotionally traumatised by it. I would try and explain it all to you, but unless you knew Disney and all the intricacies of our world, it just wouldn't make sense. But honestly, there were parts of this week that were just amazing, and other parts that were so devastating that you couldn't script it if you tried. I wonder if anyone would watch the film version? Anyway, I think Disney as an entity may be a bit broken at the moment, so perhaps I should use the time I would have spent with them this autumn to write my screenplay instead...

I'm exhausted. This does not bode well with the fact that school starts tomorrow and I really don't care. My Facebook horoscope says "no matter how much people try to cheer you up, you're in a funky mood, and you're just fine with that, thank you very much. Alone time is in order". I'm not sure being in a school with 700 people quite counts as alone time.

Fingers crossed for the new term. Sailing highlights to follow in the week, and maybe even some photos!

Leadership Skills Masterclass; Weekend Chatter

Welcome to smoke-free England! Hurrah!

I drank about 8 units of Jack Daniels last night and felt right as rain this morning. Proof that spirits are the way forward. A very nice birthday party, although a shame that the full family turnout didn't quite happen. It'll never be like it was back in the day, but still. Lots of nice "so when are you getting a serious profession and finding a nice husband" chatter. I'd like to think I cleverly bantered my way out of those conversations, but in retrospect I think I was a bit hammered and so may have come across as a bit hostile and argumentative. Ho-hum.

Leadership skills masterclass yesterday was actually very good. Freshfields were wonderful hosts, providing both breakfast and lunch, and also the use of some very nice offices. The masterclass itself was well presented with good content and challenging ideas. Lots of excellent "business psycho-babble" theory, with questions designed to help us figure out our leadership style, and what motivates us (achievement, affiliation, power).

It seems that essentially good leadership can be boiled down to a model with three components: intent/motive + behaviour/skills + outcomes/performance. If you get the balance right, you can be a good leader and provide direction, execution and commitment.

We have an assignment to do now to help us "define our leadership goals", which could be waffley, but might well be interesting. The two critical questions for a leader at the end of the class were "how do people experience you? how do people experience themselves in your presence?" I have no idea as yet, but I do now know that "people who cause others to experience themselves as energised, committed and confident are most likely to be seen as leaders". I will resist the urge to apply all this theory to the leaders at my school, this can only lead to negativity. On a slight aside, I feel rather like I've been brainwashed by the masterclass - I'm all over this leadership stuff, give me more!

In other news, a boy from my year at college is on a TV show called Last Man Standing. It's a competition where 6 lads go round the world and get initiated into various tribes and compete in tribal games and stuff like that. All sounds a bit mad really, but it's entertaining viewing, so check it out if you can (Tuesdays at 9 on BBC3; first episode repeated tonight at 8).

Meant to be making my portfolio today but still can't really be bothered. I have progressed as far as finding a lever-arch folder and some dividers. I think that merits a break.

Times Horoscope for Virgos this week:

Ordinarily, you’re the one who’s dispensing advice to others, and usually they take it. Now the tables are turned. Not only do you dislike the vulnerable feelings that relying on others’ advice triggers, you’re also not so sure about what they’re telling you to do. If you can’t agree, at least explore their suggestions, some of which would take you into unfamiliar territory. Actually, that’s the point. Recent burdens have restricted your zest for life. Once you regain the inquisitiveness that is one of your most valuable traits as a Virgo, you’ll also regain your enthusiasm, and won’t care in the least who’s giving you advice or what they say, as long as what it leads to interests you.