An evening off.

Hurrah! I've finished my work for the week. Well, the actual writing of essays. Obviously I have loads of reading for next week's classes to get on with, but that's besides the point. I feel free :) This is a good feeling as since the start of term I've mostly felt pretty snowed under with work.

So it's nearly the weekend, and therefore nearly the end of January. Can't believe it's gone so quickly! Excitingly this means I've almost done my whole month free of alcohol. In truth, apart from a couple of nights out, I've hardly noticed not drinking, I think my personality's back! That said, a nice pint of ale would go down a treat. I think I'm going to break it early as it's a friend's leaving drinks tomorrow night, but we'll see, maybe I can hold out till the 1st proper.

We saw Frost/Nixon last night, which was really good, the dude that played Nixon was just brilliant. The script was also really good, with some quite funny bits and then lots of seriousness too. By the end of it I kinda even felt sorry for Nixon rather than just thinking of him as another "Bush" type. So yeah, worth seeing.

In other news I signed the lease for our new place today, yippee! It's ours from tomorrow. Also I have an allotment from Sunday in college! I'm super excited about this, mainly cos it means I can do some exercise outside again, yeah! Plus it's the perfect time to do some gardening and start sowing some veg for the summer.

Finally, today I had a sixth-former shadow me to see what Oxford is like, which was cool. I'd completely forgotten how much fun it was to show kids around Oxford and inspire them to come etc. so I felt like I'd done my good deed for the day. I think I'll sign up to the Access Scheme again and try and get more involved.

Phew so one day to go before the weekend, let's keep going! Oh wait, I don't have to, it's my evening off!

Week 2 begins

Another weekend gone and the start of another busy week. Last week saw loads of hard work, but I'm not sure how sustainable it is. At least this week I'm only writing one essay, but the reading lists are still massive. Phew, hard work, roll on the holidays!

At lunchtime today we had a seminar on internet dating and use, and perceptions of married couples of internet use, and also characteristics of people who had met through online dating versus traditional forms. It was really interesting stuff, although now we're so drilled into thinking quantitatively that when these guys presented their work, we were kinda disparaging of it. They showed that women generally were more suspicious of men's activities online, and even went to the extent of surveillance (covert!). They also found marked differences in the ages of people who used online dating sites, and also differences in the ages between the two individuals in the couple, and differences in education too. Interestingly people who used online dating seemed more keen on all aspects of attraction e.g. physical, emotion, personality etc. suggesting that they were really "shopping" for a partner. I'd like to know what the outcome of relationships formed online are in comparison to offline - do they last longer, are people happier, are they more similar to each other etc.? Also their sample was only of heterosexual married couples - I wonder what they would find if they broadened their search?

X was around after the interviews so we had lots of good fun. Spent too much money but we feasted and dined in Oxford and in London (some really great food, particularly at the birthday dinner we went to in Angel on Sat, but also at my little favourite, Luna Caprese, on Fri too). We had cocktails at Raoul's, which was lovely, and we saw Slumdog Millionaire, which was a really good film, although in no way at all could be reasonably described as a "feel good film", except for maybe the last 10 minutes or so. It was pretty sad and quite harrowing stuff, I guess because it's so real and happening right now. Not the millionaire stuff I mean, but the stuff about child orphans and slums and exploitation and a lack of welfare and just cruelty. It was hard to watch but a brilliant film nonetheless.

Spurs are out of the FA Cup, as to be expected. What are we going to do? Our performance is so lack-lustre - we can't even perk up for cup games now it's pretty demoralising. At least we beat Burnley I suppose, and Man Utd are TOUGH opposition, but right now it still hurts to be a spurs fan.

Yesterday we tried to do the RSPB birdwatch event, but the view from my window was dominated by geese and crows, none of the cute little birds on their leaflet, so we had to abandon the challenge. Later in the afternoon though, we could hear them so beautifully chirruping away, it was lovely with the sky all sunsetty too. And I won Scrabble in the evening, hurrah!

Ok I'm off to dinner now, before hitting the library. I ambitiously want to finish the rest of my stratification reading tonight - 5 more articles - leaving me with just one book and a chapter to somehow sneak into tomorrow's schedule, along with my analysis reading AND education class AND bike workshop. BUSY. And at some point I need to go shopping and also do some work on my knee. WHEN?! Heehee just this afternoon I was doing a psychology experiment for a friend and circled the box that I "mostly feel in control of my life"....is this still true?

All work and no play...not yet anyway!

Phew it's Thursday evening and my work is almost done for the week! Two essays, so so much reading, lots of coffee and books and late nights and library hours. And now hopefully some down time.

I'm about to do my Sociology of Education reading, which along with reading the ethnographic studies on my qualitative methods list, I consider to be "fun" work. I think Thursday night after my stratification class will have to be my new Friday night! Except I have a lecture at 10am on Friday morning, boo!

So I'm impressed with Obama and all the nice bits and pieces of his inauguration - boy does he have a good speech writer! Also think it's really bold and brave of him to speak about closing down Guantanamo, about time too.

In other news X is coming to visit after the climax of the interview today, which is cool as it's finally done and X can hopefully go back to normal and then just wait to here the outcome. We are going to try and see Slumdog Millionaire tomorrow after we failed in our attempt last Weds when it completely sold out at the Phoenix - dang Orange Wednesdays and their free tickets! And we have a very busy Saturday of social obligations, but it'll be fun, am looking forward to cutting loose after such a hard working week.

Ok best get back to it for a couple of hours, yippee!

Sunday 1st week

Good evening. It's Sunday of 1st week, term has officially started! A quick recap then:

My stats exam on Friday went ok - there were a few obvious things that I just forgot how to do e.g. find a confidence interval for a proportion, but mostly it was cool, and at least I finished it in time.

I met up with a potential supervisor, which was very exciting. My research proposal has been second drafted and I think it's ok, so it's staying as it is for the Oxford application. Just waiting on references now so that I can give my application in.

Research design essay is printed out and ready to go.

Have realised that this term that for three weeks I will have four reading lists to get through - sociological analysis, social stratification, sociology of education, and qualitative methods! Yikes! For the other weeks I'll still have three reading lists to get through, loooooads of items on each too! Over the term I'll only have to write 13 essays though, which isn't so bad, although I guess there'll be assignments from qualitative methods to do, not to mention attending the intermediate stats lectures. It's going to be a very busy term I suspect.

Am trying to manage my work better by doing some now, hurrah! Also am pleased that most of the SA reading seems to be posted online, which means it'll be easier for me to get hold of. My laptop is now back and working in my room too, which is cool!

What else? So on Friday eve I headed down to London to see X - we went to dinner and saw Twilight, which was very funny, mainly because the acting and script were just SO BAD! We chilled on Saturday, it was really nice! We've found a nest too, from the university, which is really cool - we'll be in there in three weekends time :) Saturday night I was at home with the family, which was good, although some bad family news (a divorce and also a very sick close family friend). But my cousin is getting married in the States in the summer and we get to go, hurrah!

Today I caught up with some TF-ers at a lovely cafe in Fulham called Aziz, very nice food, although I "accidentally" ordered a giant choc meringue, and am still trying to finish it! The amount of sugar in it has got to be dangerous! Was very much fun to catch up with my friends though, who are all doing exciting things, it seems like ages ago when we were teachers, but we can still all chatter about it like it was only yesterday.

So I best get back to my reading for tonight, before some scrabble fun, but would lastly like to note my pleasure that Spurs didn't lose today, we drew, thus we are out of the relegation zone! Let's hope we can stay there!

Some grumbles, but the library's been fun!

This morning we woke up cross due to loud noise from one of my neighbours. Grrr. Noise pollution is very annoying and people are very selfish to play video games or watch TV oh so loudly till 2am on a Sunday night. This hasn't happened before at my place, although it happened at lot at X's and also when we were house-sitting. A disrupted night's sleep ruins the day.

Luckily X was able to have today off, and so we had a bit of a lie-in and then did some work. X has a lot of work to do for some interviews shortly, and I have my various research proposals/essays/exams to work on. It was nice to be back in the library. Sounds funny to say that but there's something cool about the start of term when work is still exciting and you feel productive.

Two estate agents have let us down so far in our search for an Oxford nest. I can see why people get cross with them. It's just inconsiderate not to turn up when you have arranged a viewing with someone. At least call to cancel.

Spurs lost against Wigan. They held out for 90 minutes and then conceded, although I guess we were weakened once Dawson had gone off injured, and Gomes hurt his leg. Sigh, back to the relegation zone it is. Defoe probably could've wanted a better debut.

I'm having an early night tonight, hurrah!

The return of Scrabulous

It's Friday! This time last week I was recovering from my knee surgery. Now I'm sitting at my desk with my right knee bent across my left foot, cool :) Hopefully it'll keep on healing smoothly. I can get the dressings taken off tomorrow, and the stitches should be dissolving soon too!

I finished my stats paper, yeah! It wasn't so hard, I'm pretty confident about the paper, it should be cool. Also just got my reading list for qualitative methods, and that looks really interesting, particularly the stuff on ethnographies. Ever since I read that ethnographic study of American gangs, I'm well up for a bit of ethnography myself.

I'm still reading Twilight, it's got loads more interesting, and now I really want to see the film. It could mostly do without all the description of the looks and glances and lots of the feelings stuff too, just cos it's very repetitive, but I like the drama now, so let's hope it stays interesting.

Am also very pleased about the return of Scrabulous to Facebook - now called Lexulous! I do love my online scrabble, and since I have to take my old laptop back up to college, I don't think I'll be able to be distracted too much, just cos I'm not sure my laptop can keep up!

I'm back in Oxford on Sunday, which is cool, I want to get back into the swing of things there, although being at home has been brilliant, such comfort! X and I have a house-viewing on Sunday afternoon, which is exciting, my first ever one! It's all getting a bit serious now, what with the nesting and all, but I'm happy about it, although I guess sooner or later I'm going to have to come clean to the family. Hmm, I'm sure the right time will come round eventually i.e. when I stop being a wimp.

So happy weekends to everyone and hope January has been treating you well so far!

Working ok today!

I have done all my stats reading now, hurrah! Just have to do part B of the paper :)

Nest-hunting is also on the list today, must get on the phone and sort some of that stuff out.

Am annoyed that my stats exam now requires us to wear sub-fusc, this is all getting a bit serious, and tedious.

My eyes and head hurt, I can only presume it is from being inside at my computer rather than running free in the cold air. Bring on the knee, it's healing well but I want to run again!

Paid my credit card bill. I've spent around £700 on that card just in November and December! I can see why people have to tighten their belts in January. I vow to be more frugal.

Right I am going to update my links now and get back to work i.e. nest-hunting.

Still no stats

I am doing everything I can to avoid my stats paper. I did the first part of it, but really only concentrated for an hour of so, and most of that was just copying out of the notes. My distractions include trying (and failing) to do the Guardian cryptic (this holiday has made me even slower), repeated knee exercises and green-pea icing, searching for a nice nest for X and I, cutting vegetables, reading Twilight, just staring out of the window. Today must still be part of the holiday.

Spurs beat Burnley 4-1 last night, yeah Carling Cup! Still have the second leg to go, but it's looking good. We also have Defoe back, good stuff, although our strikers seemed to have woken up a bit. Would sell Bentley like THAT though, what a waste of £15m.

X stayed over, it was nice have some time together again. We have been planning our nest, it's very exciting!

Twilight is pretty drivel-full in that it's clearly something I would have loved at 13, but right now it's just boring, I want to skip through to the dramatic vampire bits, but instead I keep getting stuck in all the teenage angst and swooning, BORING.

Oooh dinner-time, a justified excuse! I also signed up to Twitter, finally, but I think I preferred just popping in and out of the special forums on it rather than having my own account. I loved the US elections forum, hmmm, maybe there's one for the transfer window....

Thinking other things today

I am having another quite unproductive day. Unproductive in the sense that I am ignoring my uni work. I am thinking once I wake up from my nap I HAVE TO DO SOME STATS but who knows whether that will happen? There's no real sense of urgency at the moment.

I've done some thinking about my research proposal at least. You would think this is a good thing. Actually it's not, in that I am thinking whether I really want do my research after all. Having looked at the WWOOF-ing Christmas newsletter I now have a fantasy of taking a year off and WWOOF-ing my way around the world, or the UK at least. Hmm. Must focus on something and stop daydreaming. Or, better yet, make my daydreams into real things.

In other news I have done some reading of AS Chemistry, all the while remembering Mrs Fine and all the fun "secret" end of term parties we used to have, ace! So far so good with the reading, although this is stuff for kids so it shouldn't be too hard. It made me realise how low-level it was when on p34 the sentence " 'inter' means between" appeared, followed closely by "van der Waals really is spelt with a small v - even at the beginning of a sentence". Oh dear.

Finished A Thousand Splendid Suns, felt very sad for Mariam and Laila and also all the people in Afghanistan and other places where women are treated so poorly and things are so bad. Went on to feeling bad for Sri Lanka and all the people in the war and the killings and bombings and destroyed stuff. Decided to stop feeling so bad and instead really appreciate what I have here and how lucky I am to have a loving liberal family and all the things (and more!) that I need. Perspective, yes. But still, poor people, and it's just luck where you're born, unless you believe in serious long-term karma. I don't know if I do, but then why else would people have to suffer so? I guess we just have to do the best we can with what we have and try and make use of our opportunities and help other people.

Also...

...I was just thinking that perhaps I should update my blog a bit. For a start, the heading still talks about maths teaching, which is over two years old now. And my age is wrong and there are no more disasters...well, not in the classroom at any rate. Hmmm, I'll add that to my to-do list. The updating I mean, not the disasters.

Happy New Year!

Once again I'm back! Similar to one of those small shoe factories, I "closed down" over the Christmas break and am now forced to return to work on this first Monday of January. Except I'm not really at work, heehee!

So what's been happening? Some highlights of the vacation (note: I am still on holiday regardless of what my books or the people around me try to tell me)!

1. Christmas day - a true feast of food and presents, so much fun
2. Boxing day football - Fulham vs Spurs, a poor game, but a cool anniversary celebration with X
3. The Nutcracker - nope, not at the Royal Opera House, but instead streamed live at the independent cinema in Notting Hill, very cool and we could take in our own beers and sweets to, aaaah
4. House/cat sitting for D&W and Stripeypants in Shebu - essentially lots of festive fun times with X, brilliant!
5. Our Christmas dinner at Hudsons and stocking swap - the coolest presents and the nicest dinner, we are SO doing that every year
6. Poker party - held at Shebu for my friends to kick off some festive fun, was ace!
7. Knee arthroscopy - this wasn't as much fun, but was def better than when I had the ACL reconstruction and it's healing up quickly too so hopefully my knee will be back to feeling better soon
8. Academic work - so much work, I have done so much work in the break. Ok, fine, I know it seems like I've not really done work but I have, honest. I submitted my last STATA assignment, wrote my Sociological Analysis essay, wrote my Research Design essay (all day Saturday just gone, but I had to do like 3 days of reading before that), two PhD proposals (yes, they are the same basic proposal, but that took ages, like 4 days of solid work). And now I have to refine my proposal and revise some statistics for my exam next week.
9. Chilling out with the family - our house is busy and noisy again and you know my folks are very sociable so we've been busy but having a cool time with just us (and my aunt, uncle and cousin from Canada)
10. Reading and watching films and Christmas telly! - we don't have Sky or cable or any actual TV at the moment so I've finally been able to do some leisure reading again, which is ace. I read The Carbon Diaries (Saci Lloyd) which was really thought-provoking and so I'm trying to be better with my carbon usage. So far this is going well since I'm essentially house-bound. I also read Henry Tumour (Anthony McGowan) which was funny and emotional and for kids so I liked it (as was Carbon Diaries). Now I'm reading A Thousand Splendid Suns (Khaled Hosseini) which X derides because it's populist, but I don't care, it's a good story! Have also been watching things on BBC and ITV online players, which is brilliant!

So yes, that's what I've been doing. My new year's resolutions are similar to last year, including doing something nice for someone each day, not using God as a cuss word, not drinking in January. I'm also going to try and make a plan for my life, and I've been doing some research into that today, so we will see if I can actually go through with it this time! Finally I will try and update my blog more regularly. YES!

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.