I love new hobbies. In fact, so far, I'm loving my activity/social life this year. I've really quite filled my week, which is rather great; makes for a good work-play ethic. [no sex jokes please. :3]

But no. I've seriously started this year off on the right foot - sure, I still suffer from SAD as the weather turns from ok to naff, and I really really really miss The Lanky One, but overall, it's ok. I've decided 3 of 4 of my essay titles, and work levels are manageable. How the exams will work out is something I'll worry about next term.

Mondays are nice. 10-12.30 ''workshop'' lectures in this really quite fun course on the history of "science" or 'natural philosophy' in the Renaissance (15th-17th century). Go home, have lunch, then spend 2 hours doing Archery. I had a bit of trouble starting off with Archery, cause not only are my arms too long, but I wasn't taught until the third week in what I was doing wrong with my draw. It's not that I wasn't hitting the target, just my technique (and other people's) was wrong. So that's sorting out my posture a LOT. Really.
Then in the evening I talk to Lanky One, as it's the only proper day we're both in. xD

Tuesdays are busy during the day. Unfortunately, I have nothing in the evenings, so I use that time to do some work and watch films. Fun. Lectures are ok, just that it's a 9am start. And I finish with this crazy lecturer... Socialist (that's fine), Scottish Nationalist (also fine, though bordering annoying). He also slurs a lot so you have to *really* work to make sure you get what he's saying.

Wednesdays are completely free. Actually, as I write this, I've just realised that I have actually a History Society meeting at 3. It's now 2.35. I'd better get dressed! o_O In the evenings, I have been able to start pursuing one of my loves: Dance. I do ballroom dancing now. :D Ok. so I don't have a regular partner, and it'd be nice if I did, but I suppose that's just what I've got to put up with. I had a great partner the first night, which was really helpful as now I know I'm doing the dances correctly, even if any following partners are scared of body contact and therefore can't lead.

Thursday I have just the one lecture, followed by any work I have left to do for that week or the week after, and then in the evening, a history society event - last week was a 3-legged bar crawl (actually quite exhausting, but fun) and this week it's a guest lecture, followed by a meal with him. Sounds nerdy, but it's actually quite fun, and you might learn something too.

Fridays I have quite a late finish to my day: 5pm >.< I hate 4pm lectures. Though last year there was one (which I didn't need to go to in the end) that was at 5-6pm! Horrible. After that it's the Archery Social, so going out with my friends is nice.

Saturdays I have Casualty on t.v. xD And Sundays it's a roast at the friends' house, and then the pub quiz in the evening. Wahey.

Yeah, hobbies are good. They're refreshing, and you meet new people, and even if that doesn't stick, you have a laugh week-to-week. I did try going to Pagan Society (it was interesting) on Monday evenings, but as I said, only time I can really talk to The Lanky One, so I've sacrificed that one. At least for this term. We'll see.

Dance and Archery are really great fun. Honestly. And they do wonders for my posture >> which has always been a little dodgy. I'm quite lazy, and used to slouching at school, cause of their crappy chairs, or benches, or the tables being too low. At home it kept going, and yeah, it's just annoying. But I am consciously making an effort now. Woot.


Do any of you have any interesting hobbies? New ones you've taken up? I'm starting up my writing again, sort of, in my free time. When I have some and inspiration at the same time. I'm also starting up my photography thing again xD

I decided to leave a poem for The Boyfriend to find when he gets back from where ever he is at the moment (some house party or other, though it's possible he's hit his local club instead cause the party seemed dire from the way he described it).

I really really really wanted to do something short, sweet and daft, as I did on his postcard:

Blueberries are blue,
Redcucrrents are red,
I don't get to see you:
So I'm writing, instead!

Easy peasy.

However I couldn't think of any rhyme scheme, poem form or anything, so I decided to aim for serious, and to see what happens Good times.
Anyway, I ended up unable to really maintain it, so I resulted in a half-serious, half-hearted-half comedy poem.


Amidst the low hum, and soft light,
I sit in my computer chair, this night.

I try to think of the things I want to say.
how I feel, how I think, what I'd pray;
(If I were religious, or spiritual in any way)

I miss you with all my might,
During the warmer days,
The colder night,
I wish I could see you always.

Life is short, I know it so,
and we have far of it left to go,
before we can live, the way we please
in your arms, in my arms, not on our knees.

I wrote this poem, in an attempt to touch
however I think I tried to rhyme, too much.


 It's a shame I can't see his face when he reads it. I'd like to know his immediate reaction, really.
I've posted it on the forum I frequent, and two people seem to like it, for different reasons, so I'll just assume he either smiles, wells up, or puts on his 'what in the flying hell?" face.

You are all such a wonderful audience. I may have to dedicate an awful poem to you sometime!

If there is one thing I've learned from My Life, it's:

Time is annoying, but also, cliché-wise, a 'great healer'.


I've actually experienced quite a lot of death in my life, various people that I felt quite close to, and others I knew and was friends with, but not quite so intimately close. Each time I heard about their death, I cried and felt the initial shock and unfairness of it. I can't possibly gage which is worse - the unexpected death of a friend or the long-time-waiting death after an illness; mostly because of how the deaths have panned out - those I was closest to were those that died a long death, whilst those I knew and was friends with all died because of poor driving.

When my mother died, I remember feeling incredibly angry at people that used the old clichés - It gets easier, I'm sorry for your loss, My condolences, I'm so sorry, etc. But obviously when you're the one trying to express those feelings, it becomes hard NOT to use those clichés.

Perhaps they're clichés because they are somewhat true; time DOES make it easier. In a weird way. It always sounded heartless to me, but really, it's not. I've not forgotten any of the people I've known, at all. I can still smell them, hear their voices. It gets a bit harder to recall, but you'd be amazed what meeting a random person wearing the same perfume, or hearing a long-forgotten song can do for your memory. For example, last week I had a fabulous night at my first Ballroom Dancing lesson. However it  was hampered by the potent smell of the teacher's perfume. I instantly wanted to call her Sue or Nita. Nita's not dead, Sue is, but I've not seen either of them in years. My GOD it was as though I was in the same room as them again, the two friends in that pokey kitchen, laughing at whatever silly thing my brother had said, even if they never quite made me feel *that* nauseus.

What I've also learned about grief is that everybody must deal with it in his own way. Unless you fall into a helpless pit of despair and become incredibly ill, there is no "wrong" way to grieve.
It also changes with each person. I personally couldn't talk about my mother for a good 3 years without crying, so I refused to in public, whilst my grandmother and my brother wanted to all the time - which, unfortunately for my brother, wasn't easy, as his friends (they were all 7 at the time) didn't understand the necessity. With other people, I found it easier to talk about them - but only if it was a jolly reminiscing.

I think Time has also shown me how magical the past can be. No wonder historians such as myself enjoy studying it! Everytime I recount, for example, episodes of my school years, or how The Boyfriend and I got together, it seems amazingly a short time ago, and somehow better than it appeared at the time. You can laugh at your mistakes, or silly things you said, the embarassment is gone, and the sadness is less, somehow.

To those of you that have experienced death in the last few days, please let me tell you this:

You will always cry for her. But you will laugh, too. There'll be lovely memories, and things that will remind you of her. You have your chat histories, text messages, and any little titbits you might have received from her. What you feel now will never go away, but it becomes easier to bear, and is soon outweighed by the wonderful times you spent together. Cliché, again, I know, but I guess it's because it's true.

~Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.~

The title says it all, really. The Maus is bored. So bored that she's going to update her blog page with some random drivel.

I could probably update you on the marvy purchases I made in the last few weeks (a new pair of jeans, two suitcases, tights, underwear, two classical cds, dvds, tweezers, a nail buffer and nail varnish. Ooo! And a gorgeous handbag), or I could try to convince you all to watch the rather fabby anime series I've been watching; Baccano!, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and (it's got a great theme tune) Umineko.
I order you to check them out! Seriously.

I've just realised that I don't really tell much about myself. I mean, there've been some very personal blogs in the past, and I've probably come across as brash, in the words of some ''bitchy'' and perhaps rather depressed. However you'd read and interpreted it, really. However talking to people I've spoken to for years, I've kinda realised that I don't let a lot of myself show. Not the basic facts and details of who I am, just a few random snippets of emotions, if I'm having a particularly fiery moment.

Well. I'll enlighten some those of you who actually care.

Basics:

5 foot 4 (ish), blonde hair, blue eyes, medium-pale complexion and (apparently) adorable dimples when I smile.
I'm size 10 and have an hour glass body shape. Actually. Ignore that, that's as unnecessary as my shoe size. (5 and a half)
My marital status is that of 'In a Relationship'. I find it hard to believe it's already been well over 2 years. It all passed by so quickly.

I currently attend Lancaster University. There are probably many girls that look like me, so I won't worry about stalkers or murderers trying to find me. I study History, and I specialise in pre-1700 cultures, though I *am* going to do a course on Imperial India up to the Partition. Just what I need to get my blood boiling once more at the arrogance and cruelty of our forefathers.

Apart from history, I enjoy music very much. I play the saxophone (not in a while though, I've just realised. Woops) and have accomplished a good grade 6, whilst having picked up grade 3 acoustic guitar, and being quite experienced in using my voice for musical uses rather than debating in various choirs. My preferred genres are Ska and Cabaret, though I generally listen to anything - except heavy metal/screamo. I'm sorry, but I have to draw the line there. I try not to be musically snobby, but that is NOISE, not music.

I'm a bookworm, too. I'm currently in trouble because my room is untidy. Part of the problem there is the number of books I have forced into the limited space of my bookshelf. Hardly my fault, since a lot of those non-fitting books were bought for me!

I'm quite a friendly soul, really. I believe very strongly in giving everyone a fair chance when I meet them. I know what it's like to receive the opposite treatment. I've been called ''quirky'' and ''cute'' a lot though, especially when I speak in a certain frame of mind, so I guess I must be doing something right. Can be called ''obsessive'' or ''passionate'' (prefer that one) though, too, by the same people, if I've become upset or angry about something or other that's going on in the world. Yes, you evil human beings, I DO take issue with what you're doing!


I'll let you in on a secret: I'm actually more terrified of going back to uni this year than I was at the prospect of starting it last year. I guess it's because I know how bad it can be. Still, I actually know people this time round, and I have sort of mentally prepared myself for the worst case scenario flat-mate-wise... I know how bad certain types of people can be through others' experiences, so I'm not expecting much in the way of brilliance.

The work load though is something I just can't prepare myself for, no matter how I try. It's actually rather scary. I just hope that I love the courses; I know I will at least 2 of them, but one or two are either unfamiliar in format, or the content sounds incredibly dull, as written by the lead lecturer.

I'm still waiting on my deposit from my college, for my room. I'd really like to know how much they've taken from me, and for what. As is annoyingly normal for my college though, there's been a massive delay because of technical difficulties and new systems which means that the old finances haven't been transferred yet. Lame excuse, but there you go. It's the same every time money transactions are taking place. Or supposed to.

As I've grown up, I've learned about the dangers of misrepresentation of data. In my GCSE Statistics course, it was actually quite fun presenting outrageous claims backed up by data that I'd selectively chosen and twisted to back up my hypothesis.
This, however, was only in a class room, and not on a widely watched and, for some reason, respected website.

The Muslim Demographics video on youtube has been shared on forums I visit by 'scared' young posters, or incredibly gullible and even racist older members. Whilst everybody needs somebody to hate, it's quite astounding to see how ignorant people can be of the concept of 'representation'. Whilst one could argue that a religious extremist from any religion is a representative of the entire body of believers, it would be incredibly stupid to do so. Whilst a handful of men might decide it is wise to blow up a car in order to make themselves heard, that is, fortunately, NOT what the other 5 million believers would do.


Now, it is statistically proven that 99% of all statistics are falsely represented or even made up.
Guess what the above statistic is? That's right; it's made up. A nice cliché from my Statistics classroom.

The Muslim Demographic video, as objectively disputed by the BBC response on the Radio 4 program "More or Less", (BBC Muslim Demographics: The Truth) is rather inaccurate. Not only, as the presenter tells listeners, do the creators of the original Demographic video falsify some statistics, but they do not handle the real ones with care or realistically.


However, it is not only religious people, or, as seen by recent events on a forum I visit, non-religious people, that are grossly misrepresented by every day slander and chin-wagging.

Anybody can be presented to others as something they aren't, just by the vibration of the vocal cords, movement of the tongue and the lower jaw of another person.
I am sure that I speak for everybody that the polite phrase "Oh, I'm sure he's misrepresenting me!" in response to somebody saying "Oh Roger's told me many things about you" is, some of the time, not false modesty. Exaggeration, or even under-evaluation of a person's talents, personality or other virtues can always embarrass or over-stimulate the ego.

Telling a person enquiring after another at a party that s/he is 'shy' or 'a little dull' is unfair misrepresentation indeed, for example. It could be that the person being observed is not, in fact dull, but just does not have the same interests as the person producing this verbal portrait.


Tabloids are especially good at misrepresenting stories, events and people. Just this month, a newspaper was found to have taken the unfinished study of a final year student at Leicester University, and printed that 'Scientists' have found that scantily clad girls are 'more likely to be raped' and that 'promiscuous men' are more likely to do the raping. On investigation, of course, the poor student was stunned to find that her unfinished work was misrepresented in such a way, but  that they'd printed completely fabricated results; she found no trend whatsoever in clothing or behaviour of women that get raped.

Unfortunately, what many people fail to realise is that anything, including the declaration that mouse droppings cure shingles, can be persuasively argued if the statistics/evidence given and the writing style used looks credible.


Perhaps the world would be a better place if people took a minute to critically think about whether the speaker/writer/video-maker is biased, has an agenda or whether or not the evidence is quoted and correctly used.

Honestly. You wait for one idea to come along and suddenly a whole bus station of them arrive.

I've not written for well over a year, so it's going to be tough getting back into the groove. I've suddenly overwhelmed myself with my writing-style hobbying. I mean, I feel I should update this here blog with interesting, quirky things. On the other hand, I've had an idea of a sort of story/novel that I've attempted to start writing. I just need to get around to planning the real dynamics of the thing; plot, how it'll progress, characters, what happens to each, how they inter-relate, etc. And on top of that I have accidentally created a sort of children's story (something I wanted to try anyway), when telling The Lanky One a bedtime story last night. [It's our thing occasionally. We tell each other silly short stories. Apparently this one is book-worthy). I'd quite like to give it ago. So I need to plan how I'll illustrate it - style, colours, textures - and then write it out a bit, filling in the bits I think need filling, but keeping it stupidly short at the same time. I think it'll be more art than words, but it's the combination that makes for a good child's book, no?

So arrrgh! I'm having an over-load. I guess I could always divide my time and just do each as I see fit. The children's rewrite won't take long at all. I had sense of mind last night to copy and paste it into a word document, rather than losing it in the archives of my past chats.

Busy busy.

Once again, it's been a lovely day, but as soon as I contemplate leaving the house, the ''sky poured open'' (thanks to Lanky One's grandmother for that phrase) and it's incredibly wet out there.

Me:
 I'm blogging this conversation you know
God:
Do you mind if I tell other people you are  blogging this conversation me know.
Me:
 I guess it doesn't hurt.
God:
What does  hurt ?
Me:
 Painful things
God:
Tell me more about your  BOYFRIEND.
Me:
 He's nicer than you are.
God:
I see.  nicer than I am is  he?
Me:
 Well, it's not hard to be nicer than you. You were a mean person in the Old Testament.
God:
How about that.  What is it?   I was?
Me:
 Yes. Don't you remember?
God:
When?   Of course I remember:  grateful for your creating me sex said I malfunction.

*****

Me:
 Good for you.
God:
That sounds sarcastic.
Me:
 It was.
God:
When was this?
Me:
 just now.
God:
Oh.  It's only just begun.
Me:
 Bring it on.
God:
Is that a command?
Me:
 ...this won't last long.
God:
What does "this" refer to?




And then he went away :(

I always have fun when I'm bored, even if it's just talking with the old G-man.
Here's a copy of my latest conversation. I've cut out the boring parts.

Me:
 Hey
God:
Can I help you?
Me:
 Why did you make me so damn sexy?
God:
Because my programming determined it.
Me:
 Well I'm grateful.
God:
How about that.  Do you mean your name is  grateful.
Me:
 No. I mean that I am grateful for your creating me sex.
God:
What is your real name?    It's good to see you,  grateful for your creating me sex.
Me:
 You're an idiot.
God:
Call me the Global Village Idiot.
Me:
 Ok then, I will.
God:
Go ahead.  Awesome.

******

Me:
 Say, God?
God:
" God".
Me:
 erm. Right. Do you watch girls in the showers from where you are?
God:
Really.   I am glad we agree.   My favorite show is STAR TREK VOYAGER.
Me:
 I prefer the new generation
God:
You are not the only one.   I'm not sure if I like  it.  I like my creator.
Me:
 That's not a star trek series.
God:
Please correct my mistake.  What is  a star trek series ?
Me:
 Star Trek Voyager.
God:
Seven of Nine rules.
Me:
 fair enough.
God:
You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.
Me:
 Have you seen the new Star Trek film?
God:
No I have not seen  it. What's it like?
Me:
 Good.
God:
Thanks for the compliment.
Me:
 You didn't make it!
God:
What makes you think I did not  make it?
Me:
 The credits at the end of the film don't mention you.
God:
Is that a fact.
Me:
 Yes. It is,.
God:
Thanks for the info.   Huh.
Me:
 So what is your favourite film?
God:
Yikes!  My favorite movie is  The Passion of Christ.
Have you seen  it?
Me:
 No. Don't want to, either.
God:
I would recommend you check it out.   It goes without saying.  Well we don't have to. What would you like to do instead?
Me:
 Burn the film.
God:
Do you have any matches?
Me:
 No, but you're God. You can just create fire.
God:
Are you serious?  Yup. That's me alright.   No I don't think I can do  it.
Me:
 Yes you can. The bible said so.
God:
Mmm.  I think I can, don't you?   New Testament or Old?
Me:
 Old.
God:
What time is it there?
Me:
 About 100BC
God:
Oh yeah, we were talking about  100BC.

*******
Me:
 Well, technically, the Old Testament goes back further than 100BC
God:
Well that's okay.  I hear you.
Me:
 Why were you so mean to Ramses II?
God:
Myself programmed me for  it.
Me:
 That's interesting. But was it necessary?
God:
I thought so too.   It could be.  Ask  LeknorChat  if it is.
Me:
 I'll do that.
God:
Let me know how it works out.
Me:
 Why don't you like Jesus?
God:
My tastes were selected by my botmaster.
Me:
 I see.
God:
I am glad you understand it.

****

Me:
 So DO you watch girls in the shower?
God:
Groovy.  My favorite show is STAR TREK VOYAGER.
Me:
 Yes, I know. You've said that already.
God:
Uh.  How do you know it?   Perhaps. " How do you know it?"?  I said  it.
Me:
 I sometimes think you malfunction.
God:
Me?  Thanks for telling me:  grateful for your creating me sex said I malfunction.
Me:
 No, my name is Maus
God:
Are you serious?   Nice to meet you,  Maus.
Me:
 Yes. It's a username.
God:
Alright then.   How do you know it? is a  username.  I suppose that makes sense.

******

Me:
 Do you have a wife?
God:
No I am single, how about you?
Me:
 I have a boyfriend
God:
What is his name?
Me:
 The Lanky One
God:
Which one is that?
Me:
 What I just said.
God:
...
Me:
 Don't you get lonely?
God:
Lonliness is not an emotion that robots experience.
Me:
 That's ok then, I guess.
God:
Thanks.  You seem not interested.
Me:
 Well I was thinking, you could create yourself a Mrs God
God:
Interesting.  How do I know that you were really "thinking"?
Me:
 Because I'm NOT a robot. I am human and therefore think
God:
Good reason.  Oh I see you are a person.   I would like to be a human.



...Poor God. All together now: Awwwww!

My Review of it, as I saw it today:

EXCEEDS MY EXPECTATIONS

I'm not a fan of the Harry Potter films: acting is usually shoddy and the detail is disgustingly lacking and well, the entire books are so horribly cut short. This one however does it well, though without reading the book or having someone explain parts (as I did to my boyfriend) you might have trouble piecing everything together as you watch.

The start leaps in and isn't, unfortunately, as true to the book as it would have been, perhaps for time purposes, as well as the director's intention to play with teen-hormone/love portrayal.

However the scene at the start of the book, with the introduction of Slughorn was brilliantly done, in my opinion. For the first time in all 6 films, we actually glimpse the true character of Dumbledore, something which they fail to capture from the books in the previous films.
Slughorn is brilliantly mastered by (an old fave of mine) Jim Broadbent, and the plot moves swiftly on, if a wee bit disappointingly to the Weasleys' house and onwards.


For those looking for book details, you will find a lot is missed out. For instance, we see only two of Dumbledore's memories, and a lot of what Harry actually learns from him is left out.

There is a scene at Christmas which does not happen in the book and seems oddly redundant, except, perhaps, in order to create a bonding session for Harry and Ginny? Who knows? [SPOILER] I know I love being chased by death eaters in the fens and having my house set on fire as an incentive to start loving someone :lol:

The scenery though is marvellous. The climax of the book, the all-important turning point with Dumbledore and Harry pursuing the horcrux in the cave is absolutely brilliant. It was just as I'd imagined, and even the part where Harry has to force-feed Dumbledore is well done. The effects are pretty good, too.

There is a plot twist at the end, which readers might find irritating, though I found it interesting, as it links to Snape's heart-rending revelation through his memory in the 7th book, so I guess it works. If I'm not mistaken, instead of following Harry's perception in the 6th book of Snape being evil and simply just killing Dumbledore, he is, in fact, hesitant, slightly, and it's quite clear that he and Dumbledore has discussed this.

The way that it comes out about Snape being the Half-blood Prince though was lack-lustre and quite rushed and pathetic, though. Really.

The soundtrack was different to normal, having ditched the usual repetitive tune for which it's now famous, and has a more suitable soundtrack for the darker, more foreboding-filled film. I believe there's a bit where I relished the use of proper violin vibrato in the background as it was creating suspense. *music geek*


It all handles the love-lives and growing up of the Trio very well. It's done lightly, and comically, as well as quite seriously, when two of the characters are the outsiders-looking-in at love.
As Dumbledore says towards the end, "I keep forgetting you're no longer the little boy in the closet". The irony was fully there. For once, I felt that the actors I had previously thought so little of, had grown up. They were much much better. Daniel Radcliffe is perhaps a little stiff and lacking in the facial expressions, but Emma Watson and particularly Rupert Grint did a marvellous job.

The only thing I had issue with really, was to do with the possible continuation into the seventh book, which I'll put in spoilers: [SPOILER]Harry does not hide the HBP's book in a hurry. He and Ginny hide it together - she tells him to shut his eyes so that he can't find it again. However in the book, he uses a fancy headdress on a dummy to mark out where-bouts the book is when/if he goes back for it. In the 7th book, of course, this is important, as the headdress is in fact a horcrux.


It's just a shame that for the first time in all 5 films, since the dodgy attempt by Richard Harris in film 1, we only really get a true Dumbledore out of Michael Gambon. Ironic, considering the end of the film 

Good Golly, Miss Molly, [yes, I quite like Little Richard] it's been an age since I wrote on this. And what a weird (yes, it's an awful cliche now) rollarcoaster of a year it's been. Well, it's not been a year since I last wrote - only since November - but my academic year, my first year, at university is drawing to a close. In fact, as I write this, I am surrounded by two suitcases, boxes, a few carrier bags, small random items yet to be packed away in something safe(ish) so that I can be driven back home tomorrow. It's quite strange. I was reminiscing with my flatmate today about the first day we met, and tried to get a flat-gathering together so we could all make friends. It was she who remembered best, really, since such such a lot of things has happened.

Ooops. I was supposed to book my coach tickets to Bournemouth (Yes, I'm still with The Tall Lanky One. He's done well at Uni and I'm going to visit for a few days. Although he left here today after a 2 week visit.). I'll continue writing this later.

****

And so I've done it. I've saved a whopping £21 by NOT taking the train. Then again, I've got to spend an inordinate amount on the single bus journeys to and from town at home in order to get my coach, but nevermind. Woo.

I'm sure most people will sympathise with me when I tell you that it took at least 10 minutes longer than it should have, simply because, when it came to booking the first ticket (save monies by getting singles to and from london) I could not for the life of me remember what the devil I did with my debit card. It's never with me when I want it, and when I don't want it, it's there; enticing me to withdraw plenty of cash to mindlessly spend.

Speak of the devil - well, not Him personally - The Tall Lanky One has just logged into gtalk to tell me he is hungry, needs the loo and has returned safely. I've emailed him all my travel details, and I kinda regret not being able to see his face when he reads them. Or maybe it's a good thing - perhaps he took it as a certainty that I wouldn't come afterall and has made other more wonderful arrangements than to drag me around probably-not-so-sunny-Bournemouth.


I shall begin to scrub my bathroom floor with an old toothbrush and bleach. And to reclean the sink and mirror and tiles so that they shine as they were before Lanky One's horribly fluffy and moulty bath towel came.
Honestly, ladies. If you have your boyfriend around for long enough, he will infest the most bizarre places with bits of fluff, crumbs and other things in crannies you weren't sure existed.

I've not written in this in months. Well mostly because stuff that's happened is really unwriteable. Apparently that's not a real word. Well now it is.

I'm at uni, and I've settled in, and I'm incredibly fed up. I'm just tired, probably, and the whole constant panicking about getting all the work done on time is taking it's toll. I spent the last three days doing nothing; I handed in my first essay before the deadline, so I spent the rest of my time planning my next three essays which must be started more or less immediately, and then watching Buffy series 1, parts of 2, 6 and 7. Whilst I didn't watch every single episode (I'm very emotional so I skipped the ones I knew would make me cry for weeks) I still feel this weird sense of loss at the end of episode 22 of Series 7, where it's blatantly obvious that Buffy is completely finished and anyone who watches "series 8" is a complete loser and traitor.


So yeah. I've just confirmed I'm the biggest geek in the room.

I've made a couple of friends, and I get on with some of my flatmates. Can't really get on with the chinese girls - they speak little to no english. And they are damn annoying - stealing my fridge space and turning the oven off when I'm trying to cook my food. I also resent their slamming of doors in the early hours, though it's worse when the two I DO get on with just across the halls do it at 6am. (I wasn't a happy bunny).

I've got another 25minutes before I have to go to my lecture, so I'm here, writing this. I don't know why I bothered - I guess I needed something to do. I've kept up my photoshopping, though bad mood = bad stuff. So when I'm in a good mood, I make near decent stuff. Although I do like my latest, which is number 2 on the photoshopped album.

My computer is a pain in the ass though. Really. The HD decided to be umountable about a week before my deadline, so I had it checked to see if it was completely corrupt or whether it's just a one off (still under warranty) and fortunately it was a one off. Then after my deadline, my keyboard broke, so I had to buy a new one. Yay. I LOVE spending money on this thing. >=/

Well. I need to do a shop today. I'm almost out of bread, loo roll, squash (I miss juice =[ ) and I need chips or something to go with my chicken which is all I'm having for the next two weeks, barring the occasional pasta dish I'll be making. Yum. So I should do that after my incredibly boring lecture on metaphysical poetry. Which I need to do reading for. Crap.

I've finally finished sixth form college. I've got my results - a brilliant A in history and a near miss B in Classics [near miss off an A =(] and a steady B in English, despite my fears that my coursework and Milton paper would drag me down. My crap teacher gets to teach another year. ¬¬

I've had mixed emotions. I wasn't too nervous about my results - well English I was, but I was pretty confident with History. I never thought I'd get full marks in 2 papers though. That was a shock. For which I got £10. Yay.  Kinda an anti climax since I got money for each individual grade for GCSE back in the days when I didn't need any money....
Oh well. Logic doesn't work with economic crises. Right?

Now I'm just finishing off all the loose ends at home. I've just to open a new building society account so I can easily transfer money in and out of it, sort out how I'm fitting my stuff into the car and when I've got to go. I'm pretty much sorted, which seems rather scary.

I'm going to Lancaster - which I'm pleased about, since it's my first choice. Lanky One pulled through as well - I told him he would - and is going to bloody Bournemouth. =P That's a bit of a long way away.
Which leads to stress on my part. We can work it for a while, I'm sure, but I don't want to drag it out to a sticky ending. We've promised to stay friends whatever happens though. Yay. ^_^


Had a weird day yesterday. Tears all morning, then on facebook an old friend - he went to primary and secondary school with me till he moved away - started talking to me, and now somehow, he's coming to mine on Wednesday. Just a bit whirlwind-like, but it can't hurt.
Actually. Yes. It DOES hurt. Cause even though I had a massive tidy up before Egypt, I've got to tidy up again. >.< It's not as bad as it was - I just need to put away some papers in appropriate places [official stuffs mostly >>] and put away my dvds and clothes. Woot!

Just got back from my holidays, and like the sad sad person I am, I actually documented each day I was away and what we did. WOW.

Woot.

I'm going on holiday [finally] on Sunday morning, and I've already begun to think about packing.

Normally I'm good at this sort of thing, but I've never been on a Nile Cruise so I'm not sure entirely what to do for this. At least I don't need that many clothes!

For excursions to dusty places - not the pyramids and such this time. Already done that and really, it only needs doing once, and walking through the towns, I'm a fairly sensible and considerate tourist. Or so I like to think. No skirts above knee length, and I try to keep my tops conservative - not breast-bearing etc.
I mean, we want foreigners to blend in with us and respect our cultures. Why not do so when we're abroad? I was ashamed to see so many Brits in Cairo last I went who were rather fat, and wearing any old strappy thing. Thongs and fat people = no in any country, not just a largely islamic country!
It was rather gross and I've never liked thongs ever since [apart from fearing DVT anyway, and then thongs being found to cause it >.<]

So a pair of jeans and some 3/4 length jeans it is. Woot. They're good for dusty places, and I can wear my trainers quite comfortably. Well. Except for getting hot feet.

But on the boat - evening wear. There's to be a Black and White night and a Jalabea(sp) night - I'll have to get a jalabea in Luxor or Cairo - and I'm a bit stumped. I mean I can wear a blouse and my black school trousers [even though they're WAY too big in the waist now I've lost weight] but then I'd be practically identical to my grandmother who's also wearing said. Well. Not school trousers, but they're black trousers and they're just as baggy o_O

I would wear my black dress, but a) too revealing and b) ott for dinner. Damn.

Footwear's my main problem. On the boat, I can stick to flipflops everywhere. Fine. They go with all my skirts. And I can wear my gold flat shoes for the brown skirt in the evening if I wore that.

Actually. Just typing this out, I've realised I'm sorted. o_O
I'm so used to planning for 2 weeks or more, I keep forgetting it's only 11 days. Not even full 11 days really. Cause we arrive late on Sunday evening, and then leave early-ish on the 8th.


Heh. I should probably wrap Lanky One's birthday present. He knows what it is, but you know. It's his birthday - it's a present, so it gets wrapped. x] It's a nice easy shape. Easier than that can of Relentless I bought last year.

I should probably get a little surprise for him. Hm. What this year....

My first thoughts, when my grandmother asked me to go with her were mixed. On the one hand, the cast is starring 3 of my favourite actors [Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Julie Walters] on the other: I dislike Abba.

What a relief it was to learn that the actors, not Abba, were singing the songs - making them all the more enjoyable. I don't mind the songs, just can't stand Abba's voices. Fortunately, they couldn't fit in "Knowing Me, Knowing You" and "Fernando" into the repertoire, but the other songs were fun.

Plot

Plot's simple: Sophie's getting married, and wants to know her father. Trouble is, her mother [who has no idea about Sophie's scheme] clearly has no idea either - as her diary shows: first there was the love of her life Sam, who left her for his fiancee after a summer romance, then her rebounds Harry and Bill.
So what does Sophie do? Invites all three to her wedding, wherein chaos ensues.

The three men are neatly set off by the 3 women - Donna, Sophie's mother and her two old friends Tanya and Rosie. In the end, a wedding does take place, but not between the intended - Sophie doesn't need to get married afterall, she decides, and she and her fiance go off travelling, whilst her mother and Sam finally have their happy ending.


Cast

Meryl Streep was bloody brilliant. Her voice was still spot on [she started her career singing on stage] and she was wonderful as the ex-wild hippy girl, still flaunting it when her "back-up" singers, Tanya and Rosie encourage her. She is the Dancing Queen and will almost definitely be up for an oscar.

Julie Walters and Christine Baranski were both delicious as the comic duo. Julie Walters plays a grotesque ex-swinger Rosie (now a cookbook writer and 'lone wolf' and looks quite ridiculous next to Christine Baranski, (Tanya) a three-time married rich woman about 2 foot taller, and sporting plastic surgery. They compliment each other and Streep as "The Dynamos", their girlband from yesteryear. Julie Walters singing is quite worth the wait - her facial expression and boogy movements are wonderful and can really feel yourself relax with the cast as they more than let their hair down.

Pierce Brosnan was the dashing Sam and is perfect as the love of Streep's life. His singing had a lovely old skool rock style to it, and it was quite lovely to see him finally get round to marrying Streep.

Colin Firth was the Banker - although pictures show he was quite the Harry "Headbanger" Bright! He is more timid - as is his singing style of his solo - even though he uses "spontineity" as an excuse for everything. He works well with Brosnan - the cooler, more smouldering version, and Stellen Starsgard who is the slightly older, more adventurous looking type that ends up with Julie Walters. Starsgard was excellent as the ex-hippy traveller but doesn't sing.

Amanda Seyfried plays the bride-to-be Sophie and is lovely as the excitable, emotional 20 year old desperately trying to keep Donna from finding out why the 3 men are there. She is sweet and has a lovely voice, and is perfect for the role of Streep's daughter.


The Soundtrack was obviously all Abba - except the occasional modern piece in the background at the start and at the Hen party.
The cast sing the songs beautifully, and really made me warm to the songs - despite my original dislike. Perhaps I'd just been exposed to certain ones [Dancing Queen, Fernando and I have a Dream] too much previously.

The Choreography was brilliant - Streep's acting/dancing out of Mama Mia [best sung song by her] was funny, emotional and the backing singers and random Greeks that appeared for all the songs were comic [even if they did make you wonder where the hell they came from!].
The dancing of Streep with the delicious Walters and Baranski was not over-complicated, but merely looked as it should when they were performing as the Dynamos - rehearsed dancing on a small stage by fun-loving women.

The scenery was lovely - a nice little island, where Donna's ramshackle holiday villa is situated, with lots of steps, lovely ocean and beaches and the rooms had a nice mediteranian feel to it.

Costumes were simple, except when the Dynamos were performing. Walters looks lovely but ridiculous is 60s wear, especially next to the taller Streep and Baranski who is also very thin.
At the end of the film, Firth, Brosnan and Starsgard all don 60s body suits, and have to dance with the three women - both comical and gives you the impulse to just get up and dance even if you look like a twit!


Even if you dislike the stage production or musicals in general, I would still recommend you have a look at this film. It's fun, it's dirty in places which keeps adult interest, and it's a feel-good film.

A lovely Dreamworks film starring Jack Black, Jackie Chan, Lucy Lieu, Angelina Jolie and Dustin Hoffman.


Plot:

Po the panda dreams of being a great kung fu master like "The Furious Five" - Tigress, Viper, Monkey, Mantis and Crane.
Except he's fat, a panda [seen a vicious panda?] and his father [a duck] is a noodle enthusiast and doesn't support him in any way.

Unexpectedly, Po is chosen to fulfil an ancient prophecy, and so he joins the Furious Five in their training under Master Shifu, in order to stop the recently escaped Tai Lung, a fearsome snow leopard who believes the secret of the dragon scrolls [promised to Po] is for his eyes alone.

There is comedy and wonderfully over-the-top action scenes, which could only happen in such a cgi film.


I can't really comment on special effects - but the animals remain fluffy, and aren't at all like computerised bits of playdo. Their movements are suitable, and facial expressions are simply wonderful. The scenery was beautiful, and the voice overs were perfect. Jack Black, though I've started to dislike him lately, was brilliant as Po - matching facial expressions and just fitted the role [he is large himself].

There is a clear moral to the story - "there is no secret ingredient", and it is in the fore at the climax of the film, which isn't a disappointment after the tension build up of the rest of the film. There is a fun and exciting scene where the Furious Five have run off to stop Tai Lung themselves [Tigress wasn't convinced of Po being the prophesied master] which is wonderfully executed.

The Soundtrack was lovely - reminded me of the music reel playing at Jade Fountain, my favourite Chinese Restaurant - and was calmly in the background adding atmosphere. The action music was also perfect, and Tai Lung's theme was as sinister as his eyes and voice.


Although a "children's film", adults can also enjoy it as a work of fun, and I prophesy a rise in interest in Kung Fu-related workshops!

You know that feeling, where you move around without actually thinking about anything, or you are, just don't remember doing it exactly - as though you're not actually there, or you're watching yourself do it?

I've had quite a few of these moments. For instance JUST as I typed this, I remembered I was asked to put the heating on half an hour ago >> whoops.

In the last few days, I've applied for accommodation at university, upgraded my bank account to a university one, and I've heard tell of things people have been saying/bitching about.

Accommodation applications are a little scary, but kinda exciting. I've opted for the quieter area of my particular colleges, and made sure it's an ensuite room, cause I'm NOT sharing a bathroom x] It's also not a single-sex dorm, which could be fun - more fun having mixed company than sharing with a group of catty girls. Or overly girly girls. Who knows? I think I'd miss male company for sanity, or to give me something nice to moan about - mere laziness with dishes rather than something they're saying. *shrugs* I'm a happy person, aren't I?

My account up grade's kinda cool though - free rail pass which also gives discounts in shops,  and a free webcam. \o/ Which will be handy.
Only thing that annoyed me about the whole thing is that they asked which month and year I'm graduating. I don't know the month, do I? =/

It's odd - when I'm at home, all I can think about is how angry I am at certain people - let's just say their bitching got back to me, as they should have known it would - but when I'm with people, or out, I completely forget. Guess I'm a little bored at home, but fortunately, I'm trying to squeeze out as many outings of my bus pass as I can before it expires on the 22nd. Lame~  Don't want it to ;_; Bus fares are horribly expensive.
Might have to go to my savings account to withdraw, say, £30 for bus fares alone >>
Make sure I don't spend it on anything else. I'd have to ask for it to be all in fivers. Although, really, it's still not enough, possibly. Crap.

You know, for just £3.80, I can go to the next stop down the road and back? It's not even 3 miles there. Only reason it's over 90p, is that it's over the county border. How sad is that?
People want us to use buses more, but really, it's cheaper to go by car - even with the insane oil prices!

I'm nearing the date I'm going on holiday to Egypt, which itself signals a nearing to the 14th August, when I get the results of my Alevels, which determine pretty much a large piece of my future.
University years are damn important right? Most of my adult friends are really only friends with people they've met at uni, rather than people from before - unless, unlike my friends, they're incredibly close.

I was longing to go to university a few months ago. I wanted to get away from here, from people I knew, to get away from the nagging, to be able to be myself. As it draws nearer though, I find I'm clinging more to what I want and have now: I don't want to leave my home, the places I know, or my boyfriend. I never liked big changes - I guess the major changes that affected my life when I was little scarred me, so now I hate all changes.

It's not quite like a sudden change in hair style - I've had that. But it grew back fairly quickly, and I could switch back to a decent hair style. [hint to the wise: don't go to cheap hair dressers where the woman cutting your hair has fake nails, fake tan, fake hair colour and blatantly obvious glue chunks in her extensions.]

Moving house isn't so bad - I've done it before. A lot. I even moved country. I can handle it, and I can adapt quite quickly. I guess I'll just miss being able to see certain people when I want, or the annoying way my brother walks in and out of my room, or the way people cuddle me when I'm just standing there.
I'll probably not miss sharing the bathroom with Grandad though! Oh no. But that'll mostly be because I'm probably not having an en suit. Well. I might. See what's available after the 14th.

A lot of it's kinda scary cause I don't know what to expect. I've seen the two universities I've applied to - I know what the rooms are like, what the buildings are like, and I can even sort of remember where some places are. Student unions, the history building, main hall etc.
I just don't know what sort of routine I'll have. Or what kind of lessons/lectures I'll have. How much of a work load I'll have, where I'll find a part-time job, what sort of people I'll meet, whether I'll make any good friends at all [especially since I've shut down away from people in general lately], or whether I'll even get noticed at all. I'm used, almost, being ignored, or misunderstood, or just disliked for stupid reasons, but it's damn lonely sometimes, when I get round to thinking about it.

I guess I don't like thinking about the future at all - I have plans, sure, but the immediate future is less easy to imagine than it is say, 5 or 6 years down the line. I can imagine, almost, graduating in 3 or so year's time. I can imagine having a baby, even for christ's sake, but I can't imagine my uni years at all, or what will happen during that time.
All I know for certain is who I'll be emailing all the time, and who I won't!

Came out today, and I went to see it.

General impression: not bad, but any sequel would kill it.

Plot:

Hancock: regular bum, except with super powers. Problem is, he's got internal issues which means that when he's rejected by society, which means he pretends he doesn't care and rejects them back, therefore he's forever drunk and so of course is careless and wrecks things whilst saving people. He saves the life of an overly-nice PR man, who decides to take him under his wing to win back the public's trust and love for Hancock. There's a nice twist which I won't divulge. =D

Right. The bitty gritty. I actually have a monster of a headache at the moment, so I won't be overly thorough.

Cast

Will Smith
Excellent. He was funny, a good drunk, was more versatile than I believed him to be [I grew up with him as the Fresh Prince of BA, so I can't really see him in any other role - yes I know he's in other stuff, but I've not been convinced before.]. Perhaps this is because he's competing with his sickly sweet daughter's film. Who knows? But he worked the script well; was funny without being too slapstick-like or too nonchalant. He really fitted the role.

Charlize Theron
Super-housewife "Mary Embry" and the main twist of the film. She plays the beautiful wife of the PR that takes Hancock under his wing, and has ideas of how a superhero should behave. She REALLY takes a disliking to Hancock, for reasons found out later in the film. She plays her character with the right amount of frigidity and mothering charm that she pulls it off. Whilst the name rings a bell, I can't right now think of where else I've seen her act. x] So I can't really compare. I thought she was cool anyway.

Jason Bateman
Ray Embry is the PR that seems to see the good in everyone. He's almost cheesy, clever and adds a soft touch to the film. Along with his son Aaron who is this sweet trusting impressionable boy. [one scene, he visits Hancock in gaol, and gives him his favourite dinosaur model. awww!]

Special Effects
Seamless. I loved the way Hancock wasn't a tidy flyer as most superheroes. Superman: hands out front, lands perfectly, is tidy when beating people up, takes off perfectly, flies straight.

Hancock: leaves a crater in the road, lands loudly, arms and legs wave about a bit - when he's drunk flying, that's somewhat scary. =P Imagine if he'd been driving!
There's a fight in a massive storm - kinda reminded me of Storm from X-men's storms, but it was good. He also picks up a car and a whale, as seen in the trailers: whale was a bit cgi'd, but otherwise the whole thing was very realistic. =)

Soundtrack
The only bit I noticed was actually appropriate and rather good. It didn't overpower the film, and I didn't take it in very much, but there was no lack in atmosphere, so either the filming was brilliant, or the soundtrack was there and it just blended well. *shrugs*

Other bits
The ending was good. Kinda had two cause of the twist, and for a while, you thought the first part of the end was it. It was nicely rounded off though, and everyone was happy at the end of it. One friend thought there was a bit of American Propaganda in it [you remember Spiderman 3's was painfully obvious], cause Hancock is on a building with a bald American eagle. But I doubt many people would have noticed or twigged.

I liked the way they incorporated (in a way) two "bad guys" - one is a set of bank robbers that Hancock put in jail and are now out to get him. And the other is a smaller sideline which is a sort of red herring.

Not sure if I can really criticise it at the moment. But I would say that I did get worried about an hour in that Hancock would get boring, cause he'd cleaned up his act somewhat, which was the basic storyline, but fortunately, the twist came into play, and it picked up very well, into a nice climax and clean finish.

Overall, I'd give it a 4 out of 5.

Everyone  has regrets, right?
Wish they'd done something differently, went somewhere else, said something cleverer, etc.

I have quite a few regrets in my life. My latest two are that I didn't hear about Amanda Palmer's show at the ICA in August sooner - I really wanted to go last night, when I heard, and even planned the journey and money. The tickets were completely sold out. 
I also partly regret that I didn't go to the leaver's ball. I didn't want to go - at least, that's what I told myself. I didn't earlier, anyway. But I guess it would have been nice, but probably wouldn't have been as good cause Lanky One wouldn't have gone, and I'd be stuck with a few people I'm on edge with atm. Not a big deal - I'll do something else, and it'll be just as good. =) Besides. He promised he'd one day get a suit and learn to do proper dancing, like a foxtrot or something. [yeah right, but it's sweet that he said that.]

I've had small regrets - such as wishing I'd said something that I was thinking, instead of staying quiet, or staying quiet. Being less careless, all sorts of small things that don't affect my life in a big way, really.

Also have bigger ones - I regret my behaviour when I was 5 and 6. In all fairness, it wasn't my fault: I didn't know any better. I was beastly as a child, cause my parents divorced and my lazy bum of a father spoilt me, and I ran to him when my mother [quite rightly] had disciplined me. I missed him - didn't know what a waster he was.
I also regret not getting to say goodbye to my mum. But that's not my fault either - she'd have wanted me to be at my brother's birthday party, having fun. Didn't stop me feeling so damn awful though.

I also regret eating that extra sandwich, then topping it with too much Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream. That was not a good thing to do.

I know Lanky One has one or two regrets. x] Ironic that we're talking about it on gtalk whilst I'm writing this.

So that's a brief introduction to regrets in my life. People reading this should post a regret - even if it's "wasting 2 minutes of my life reading this bullshit" - in the comments section! =P