It's escalated. Bring on the quad sports against the jubilant backdrop of radio music blaring from your parked car's windows. Well, I guess they're not really quad sports - I do not, sadly, live in Neptune, CA. Parking lots, when occupied with smiling, active youths WHO WILL PROBABLY FAIL THEIR WHOLE YEAR, do incite just as much jealousy from observers moping three floors up.
You all look bad in sunglasses, by the way.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
It's clearly the end of semester.
Accomplishments so far today:
- woke up before noon
- finished yogurt before it went off
- did not die
What I'm getting at is that while my university years will be the most longed-for in my life, springtime is always unproductive. After all those vitamin D-free months, being outdoors is no longer the worst part of my cold, rain-drenched life. My flat is full of fresh air, library books got returned after being renewed for months on end, and I no longer wonder why they make patio furniture in Scotland.
But sadly, this is not a good time for outdoor laziness or daytime drinking. So presently I'm stuck inside, trying to tie up the loose ends of semester-time obligations. But really I'm not doing much of anything thanks to the sunshine-loving folk outside with their smiling and no coats and sunglasses-wearing. It's cruel, it's distracting and it's no fair.
Still, it's not all bad - my yogurt did not go off, I did not die, and spring is just getting started.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Nothing to say, but I'll say something anyways.
I really am crap at this whole blogging thing. I'd like to say it's because I'm insufficiently self-involved but, really, I'd be having a laugh. Basically it's a matter of laziness and lack of exciting things to talk about.
I don't think I've been anywhere or done much in terms of excitement in the past several weeks. Spring has certainly sprung and I'm regretting not getting a photo of my walk to school in the last week or two. The Meadows are full (I mean full) of gorgeous purple, yellow and white crocuses and it's been shockingly sunny. But alas, we've had some freak snow which boggles my mind and makes me worry the flowers are done with.
One thing I did get up to was head over to Glasgow with a few friends (dragging Dean along as well, since he was visiting) to go see a showing of Submarine, which was being presented by writer/director Richard Ayoade, better known to us as Moss from the IT Crowd. He was pretty much the only reason we went, to be honest. Considering the trailer and how overwhelmingly hip the whole project sounded, it was a surprisingly good movie. Even Dean liked it. Do recommend.
Made some fantastic raspberry scones last night. Between Honor and I a batch of 10 left me with 4 leftover. I've had two since waking up a half hour ago and am tempted to just polish them off and make some more this arvo. It's justifiable - with only a 1/4c of butter and 3T of sugar, the recipe is pretty healthy. For scones, I mean. That is, of course, until you pile on the clotted cream. Add that to the list of things I'll miss when I go home.
Anyways, enough procrastination. Expect marginally less dull updates soon. I'll be spending next Thursday (St. Pat's) in Dublin, then the following three days in Belfast. May not remember much of that, but I'll try and take some photos of the greenery, etc. Then home for the last week of class, and on the 26th Honor and I fly out for a two week trek through Budapest, Berlin and Prague - very, very excited! Sasha and I are in the final stages of planning our Eurotrip, ie. the booking stages, ie. the worst stages. But that's going to be a ridiculously good, if exhausting, five or six weeks. Look out for a firm itinerary some time soon.
Until then - my ears are open for suggestions of things to see and do in any of the aforementioned cities. Now it's just time to tie up some loose ends in class and then kick back for the seven and a half weeks (yep) of revision before exams. May forget what month it is.
Cheers.
I don't think I've been anywhere or done much in terms of excitement in the past several weeks. Spring has certainly sprung and I'm regretting not getting a photo of my walk to school in the last week or two. The Meadows are full (I mean full) of gorgeous purple, yellow and white crocuses and it's been shockingly sunny. But alas, we've had some freak snow which boggles my mind and makes me worry the flowers are done with.
One thing I did get up to was head over to Glasgow with a few friends (dragging Dean along as well, since he was visiting) to go see a showing of Submarine, which was being presented by writer/director Richard Ayoade, better known to us as Moss from the IT Crowd. He was pretty much the only reason we went, to be honest. Considering the trailer and how overwhelmingly hip the whole project sounded, it was a surprisingly good movie. Even Dean liked it. Do recommend.
Made some fantastic raspberry scones last night. Between Honor and I a batch of 10 left me with 4 leftover. I've had two since waking up a half hour ago and am tempted to just polish them off and make some more this arvo. It's justifiable - with only a 1/4c of butter and 3T of sugar, the recipe is pretty healthy. For scones, I mean. That is, of course, until you pile on the clotted cream. Add that to the list of things I'll miss when I go home.
Anyways, enough procrastination. Expect marginally less dull updates soon. I'll be spending next Thursday (St. Pat's) in Dublin, then the following three days in Belfast. May not remember much of that, but I'll try and take some photos of the greenery, etc. Then home for the last week of class, and on the 26th Honor and I fly out for a two week trek through Budapest, Berlin and Prague - very, very excited! Sasha and I are in the final stages of planning our Eurotrip, ie. the booking stages, ie. the worst stages. But that's going to be a ridiculously good, if exhausting, five or six weeks. Look out for a firm itinerary some time soon.
Until then - my ears are open for suggestions of things to see and do in any of the aforementioned cities. Now it's just time to tie up some loose ends in class and then kick back for the seven and a half weeks (yep) of revision before exams. May forget what month it is.
Cheers.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Decisions.
The last few weeks have left me mulling over some big decisions. I'm one to procrastinate until the last minute before a deadline (quite often several minutes/hours/days after, too, come to think of it) but despite taking no action, I'll happily preoccupy myself with the thought of a decision ages before it's ever necessary. I'll make timetables. I'll chart out degree requirements. I'll calculate fees and rent and commute and living costs. Generally I'll make very good use of my limited Excel skills and my unlimited love for colour-coding to a pretty much pointless end.
What's been preoccupying me lately is a perennial favourite: the future. A career? Another degree? Another move .. or two? The reason this unconquerable itch has become harder to ignore than ever is that I'm no longer reassured that the future is too far off to think about. It's not. The details may not be ready to be tackled until later next year, but the general plan, the end point, the forward momentum all have to come into fruition pretty shortly. Pretty soon I'll know where I will or won't or might need to live during and after my fourth year. Pretty soon after that I'll have to think of things to preoccupy myself with while I'm there. Pretty soon after that I'll have to go about getting someone to accept me into that field of preoccupation. And after that?
The next several weeks are going to be full of these unavoidable, unmanageable, and more or less unlikeable decisions. Excel will take a beating. Charts, tables and lists will be borne of encouraging colour schemes and tediously-drawn layouts. Just as surely, they will all be deleted when their implications become to scary to think about. I'll fret and fuss and find a new program every week that sounds like just the type of life's calling I ought to have before tossing it aside for something with more letters or less hours or better job security.
Out of it all, though, will come something remarkable. Out of it all will come a decision. The weeks ahead are looking unruly, unpredictable, and generally frightening - but shit, do they ever look bright.
What's been preoccupying me lately is a perennial favourite: the future. A career? Another degree? Another move .. or two? The reason this unconquerable itch has become harder to ignore than ever is that I'm no longer reassured that the future is too far off to think about. It's not. The details may not be ready to be tackled until later next year, but the general plan, the end point, the forward momentum all have to come into fruition pretty shortly. Pretty soon I'll know where I will or won't or might need to live during and after my fourth year. Pretty soon after that I'll have to think of things to preoccupy myself with while I'm there. Pretty soon after that I'll have to go about getting someone to accept me into that field of preoccupation. And after that?
The next several weeks are going to be full of these unavoidable, unmanageable, and more or less unlikeable decisions. Excel will take a beating. Charts, tables and lists will be borne of encouraging colour schemes and tediously-drawn layouts. Just as surely, they will all be deleted when their implications become to scary to think about. I'll fret and fuss and find a new program every week that sounds like just the type of life's calling I ought to have before tossing it aside for something with more letters or less hours or better job security.
Out of it all, though, will come something remarkable. Out of it all will come a decision. The weeks ahead are looking unruly, unpredictable, and generally frightening - but shit, do they ever look bright.
January woes.
I feel that the title of this post summarizes why it's been three ruddy weeks since I've found time to update (blogging is more time consuming than I had thought - and I don't even do anything to blog about!). January woes are really only part of the story for the last three weeks, but they sure do account for a good chunk of that time. But I'll get to that. As usual, to save you the bother of reading an entire post only to realize you didn't really care to know about any of it, a quick agenda:
- Remainder of Barcelona
- Lisbon! (This one's going to be as hazy and vague as my memories of the trip.)
- Back to school sickness, visits, and resulting academic misery
- The future ...
Look forward to some decent snaps from recent travels (although they're mostly decent thanks to Picassa, as my camera theft has left me wanting for a better quality piece of machinery [in the mail!!]) as well as the usual nonsense. Here we go.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Welcome back ... and time to go.
So, it´s been a pretty crazy few weeks since my last post, as such there´s a lot to cover and a lot that will inevitably get skipped/forgotten/condensed. Also, you'll have to pardon the occasional accent being used as an apostrophe - I'm useless with European keyboards, but getting over it. Still better than no contractions whatsoever, I figure. Also, I´m in an internet bar right now, so things will have to be expanded on when I have more time.
Agenda:
(1) Marrakech
(2) Holidays
(3) Barcelona (so far)
I further regret to inform you (although this may not actually be disappointing) that Hogmanay brought on a new year at the cost of one (1) camera, memory card included. Since I was a lazy bum after exams, then my trip, then Christmas, nothing had been uploaded. So there will be no photographic accompaniments to items 1, 2 (or 3 for that matter ... forthcoming, though). No matter. Onwards!
Agenda:
(1) Marrakech
(2) Holidays
(3) Barcelona (so far)
I further regret to inform you (although this may not actually be disappointing) that Hogmanay brought on a new year at the cost of one (1) camera, memory card included. Since I was a lazy bum after exams, then my trip, then Christmas, nothing had been uploaded. So there will be no photographic accompaniments to items 1, 2 (or 3 for that matter ... forthcoming, though). No matter. Onwards!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Next stop: Marrakesh!
Good morning! I've got some boring shite to deal out later but for now - exciting news! I'm going to Morocco!
I'd originally planned to spend the delightful week of nothing between my last deadline and when my family arrives doing absolutely nothing. Not true; nothing I really have to do at least. I actually have a lovely note hear entitled "Things to do w my time off" which includes working on my other blog, tagging and parsing my corpus and memorizing the logical fallacies. Thankfully I've been spared from my complete lack of sanity by a luck airfare search.
I'd originally planned to spend the delightful week of nothing between my last deadline and when my family arrives doing absolutely nothing. Not true; nothing I really have to do at least. I actually have a lovely note hear entitled "Things to do w my time off" which includes working on my other blog, tagging and parsing my corpus and memorizing the logical fallacies. Thankfully I've been spared from my complete lack of sanity by a luck airfare search.
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