Your rabbit has devil eyes!

Look at the bunny, and tell me it doesn't have devil eyes!

See, I told you! Well, no, I told Jack actually- as awful as it may be to accept, 'Sooty' (original Jack, so original) is definately under Satan's spell......

And also being attacked by a giant Mole by the sound of it too, the devil bunny is apparently confused and 'perturbed' was the word Jack used, describing her reaction (the rabbit, not Jack's) to the sudden appearance of giant mole hills in the garden, presumably caused by a giant mole to go with them....who knows.

Have spent today feeling sick, with backache- in bed mostly; sometimes sleeping, sometimes watching trashy day time tv, sometimes even academically reading...but the original plans for spending the entirity of today transcribing some tapes I have of young people discussing my dissertation topic, have gone horribly awry. I have so far written in 'Word' their names! Productive...very productive!

On the plus side, I am managing to drink the recommended dose of 2 litres of water a day, quite possibly more, at the moment. And the Doctor did today prescribe me more antibiotics- this time for the Cystitis I've had for a week-feeling the urge to pee all the time really isn't productive either as time spent otherwise working is spent dashing to the bathroom and back, half the time only to discover you don't even need to pee!!! The other 'good' news, is that the back pain I have is only partly contributed by my awkward right hip that has a loose joint and occasionally decides to pop out and cause me immensive pain, it is also partly to do with the Cystitis, as apprently is the constant nauseous feeling I have had today...the bad news is, the antibiotics prescribed have a side effect of...nausea, so no escaping that then!

de lamb?

Like Gill I dislike ordering food in foreign restaurants, for fear of mispronouncing it, usually I point and say 'that one please' but then I feel stupid (still) for not attempting to pronounce it and thus conforming to the stuck up, laziness of English people when it comes to learning or speaking a foreign language.
Last night was no exception. After watching V for Vendetta at the cinema and me hiding behind my hands whenever someone died and then complaining afterwards it was gory ('Gory? Exactly what bit of it was Gory Ali?' - Mike) Mike and I went to Zagora to eat, a nice, quaint Moroccan restaurant in Fletchers walk in town.
After pondering the menu, it came to ordering. Mike, confident as ever stated that we would have the Briout de Crevettes to start, and for his main he would like the Tagine Zagora. Nice and easy. The waiter then looked at me, I said could I please have the Brochettes de Lamb.
"De lamb?" mike said stifling a laugh
"That's what it says on the menu" I said defiantly, feeling myself go red "Brochettes de Poulet/Lamb"
Mike stifled even more laughter
The waiter smirked
I went red.
The waiter addressed me- do you mean number 23? (great, now he had obviously decided I was such an idiot I needed to order using the numbers instead of the names) I nodded meekly.
Mike said "can we also have a pot of mixed olives please"
The waiter looked at me and said: "sorry, do you want lamb or chicken?"
I sighed inwardly "Lamb please" and then added "and can we..."
"and do you want that with fries or rice?"
"Er, rice please" I waited to make sure that I'd not be interrupted again and was about to request a Tagine of mixed vegetables when the waiter DID speak again "and a number 19?"
"Er, the mixed olives, yes please" I tried not to look at mike "and also a tagine of vegetables" I was determined to say something
"Number 21" He concluded
He then looked at me 'oh god, what now?' I thought
"And do you want a starter"
"Um, no thanks, we'll just share the one" Now I feel stingy and stupid.
The waiter left
Mike smirked
I drank (lots of) my red wine!

The difference between a small dog and my boyfriend...

I have just discovered that Mike is my Affenpinscher!! An Affenpinscher is a 'small breed of dog, related to the so-called Brussels griffon, and having tufts of hair on the face.' I might have short(er) hair but at least I'm not an Affenpinscher. Come to think of it, at least I'm not an Ailurophile either (one who is abnormally fond of cats!!...note the word, ABNORMALLY, I like cats, I have 2, but not so much that I smell of cat piss...I hope!)

Anyway, after Mike's animadvert response to the haircut ('to pass critical comment or animadversion, upon something or someone'), he seems to have gotten over it, and thinks I am still Epigamic, which is a relief somewhat. (look the last one up yourself!)

Ali xx

ps: one for Gill: I do worry that you have Gamophobia.....look it up and deny it if you will!!! xx

So much left unsaid...

Sometimes it's not what you say, or even how you say it, remarkably it's what you don't say that can spell out a thousand more things than if anything was said.

In regards to this, I got my hair cut in a 'choppy' style today. Not what I originally thought would happen, but then I was a little vague with the girl about what I wanted- 'layers, kinda up to about here (shoulders)' when asked what the shortest layer I wanted was I replied red faced with 'er, oh, um well I'm not sure, I don't really know, here is the shortest one i've got now' the woman kindly pointed out this was feathering around my face, not layers, to which i went even redder! We finally agreed on something and she got to work on washing and then cutting it.
She was a student, so I have some sympathy for her, but she obviously didn't feel too comfortable cutting my hair in this way and kept asking for direction from her supervisor which didn't lend me much confidence- none actually. The more she cut it the more I began to realise it would very much be a different style to anything I've had before, but also that this wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
I like it. I'd just like to say that, sure it's short, certainly shorter than anticipated, and rather than just tidying up the layers, she's given me more and a completely different style. But although at first my initial reaction (which is the same whichever hairdresser I go to, however much it costs and whatever style it is) was: 'oh god, I'm not sure I like it!' after scrutinising it a little longer as she dryed it off and styled it, I really became quite attached to it. Walking around town I had the 'I've had a new haircut' look on my face, which was mirrored in my actions of swishing my hair and looking at it in every window/mirror/thing that reflected me!

And then I came home (after spending a little of my pay packet). I warned Mike that I didn't think he'd like it. It was much shorter than we had discussed, and I know he likes longer hair. But I was still secretly hoping that like me, he'd come round quickly and really quite like it. Even the words 'it's not so bad' would have been a comfort.
He rang the doorbell and muttering 'oh god, oh god, oh god' under my breath I descended the stairs and went to the door. Shouting through the door 'I'm only going to open this if you promise not to shout at me' and getting no reply was not a good start. Reluctantly I opened the door a fraction and let him in. He didn't look too amused. Or too happy. Or too anything really. Stunned is perhaps a better word.
We went upstairs whereby he said 'It doesn't look like you' (welcome to my world when you shaved the moustache off!) followed by 'It doesn't look like my ali-cat!' Worse was to come. Then he said 'It's a good cut, don't get me wrong. But you know I don't like short hair, and worryingly you look just like one of my ex's'.....the response he got to that was me bursting into tears.
"Don't worry" he said "I don't like them any more"
"I know" I blubbed "you dumped them... you didn't like them any more" I was fearful he'd not like me any more looking as I did.
He took me into his arms and cuddled me for ages, telling me just how much he loved me regardless of what cut or colour my hair was and that he had no intention of leaving me.
Finally I stopped blubbing only to discover my mascara had run completely and I looked like a panda at best!
For ages he just cuddled me, but although he didn't really expand any more on what he'd said, I know he hates it. And I feel now like I've made such a mistake, because he doesn't think I'm as attractive any more, he doesn't like it.
I thought that wearing new clothes bought in M&S (sale!) might placate the response, and divert his attention, but he didn't even notice the clothes, or shoes...

What am I going to do?

x

Phase 2 of hair

Went into Toni and Guy today, have an appointment at 9am (!!!!) tomorrow morning! So going to have to set my alarm tonight otherwise I fear I will sleep through it. The woman had really cool hair, just how I'd love to have mine- Black layers on top, with purple underneath....I'm so getting that one day! Tomorrow however is all about tidying up the hair that is a mangled mess of I don't know what! She asked if I'd considered having it in a bob, which I have had before, and I think I look smart and sophisticated, but Misery guts says he wont be as attracted to me if I do that. As we left the salon he muttered:
"Bloody hairdressers, persuading you to spend a fortune and cutting all your hair off...it's not your hairdressers job to be attracted to you [when I tested the water for possibility of a bob!]!!!"

Guess that is a fairly solid 'no' then to a bob?! Shame, but I'll stay content, afterall, I got totally freaked out when the beard was shaved off so I can understand.

Going to bed now, especially as I have to get up early. Smelly Mike won't come round to stay but I really want him to- work tonight was fairly harrowing with Paul Guyver from the Fire Service coming in to do his thing about Road Traffic Safety "Your Choice" with all the photos and videos (god the videos) of dead people, or dying people- this one man just moaning over and over as he died...it was horrific, and people cut in half and limbs strewn around, headless bodies in cars...you get the idea. The young people left suprisingly quietly...and I felt sick. Even though I've seen most of it before. I am now worried I will have nightmares, and I'd just like Mike to be there to hold me if so...but smelly BOY won't come over.
May he rot in his own cesspit the UNWASHED CRAPBAG!!!

night xx

All alone

All alone, everyone has left, going steadily stir crazy....mike is taking me to the art gallery in town tomorrow in a desperate attempt to culturize me!
Last night was a success, Abligurition is one of my more successful skills:

Abligurition: Extravagance in cooking and serving

Yes, definitely one of my better skills! We had seafood medley over spaghetti in a creamy garlic mushroom sauce...yummmmm with added smoked salmon! who says you can't eat properly when a student? Also proud moment of yesterday was when I managed to legitimately get 'abdabs' into the conversation! Mike was very impressed, so was I- I managed to suprise myself!

Never answer the door while dying your hair!

Oh deary, deary me!
Started to dye my hair, it's all piled on top of my head in a very messy bun/thing and i'm waiting for the colour (deep rich brown) to develop. I go upstairs and my first mistake is to look in the mirror:
Here I notice all around my ears, neck, and head I look like i've partaken in a mud wrestling match- no really, the colour was that of dried caked on mud! mmmm nice. So I sigh and get out the cotton wool and makeup remover and apply...only to discover the make up remover is not enough, the stain won't disappear...frantically I tried cleanse and tone stuff, which had no effect whatsoever, in absolute dispair of having to turn up at a party tonight looking like the beast from the swamp I reached for nail polish remover...it smells potent enough, and will probably strip my skin, but who cares? The skin stripping was quite well predicted, and should you ever decide to use this method, a word of warning: don't put it near your eyes. So now I look like I've been crying for hours with my eyes smarting and I smell of nail polish remover, but the stain HAS gone...I must remember to put vaseline round my hairline / anywhere else the dye may go next time to avoid this! I think this everytime, I've only ever remembered once!

Secondly I sit down, thinking I have 1/2 an hour and I feel like prettying up my feet (???don't ask!) so I buff the nails, cut them and shape the cuticles and start to apply nail polish. It was then the doorbell rang. Now, don't laugh, but when I dye my hair I usually do so wearing as little as possible to avoid staining which inevitably occurs when I wear clothes- today this meant 'nothing', I scuttled from the bathroom to my bedroom with a towel wrapped around me. Shit, I'm the only one in who can hear the doorbell so I have to answer. I grabbed my towel, flinging it around me, and try to hobble (nail varnish has not dried yet) downstairs, I suddenly realise what I look like and know I cannot open the door like this, but think I'll knock on Tariq's door and get him to open it....too late, Tariq is already opening the door, as I, in my hair dye/towel wrapped monster state open the living room door to the hall, and see a girl glancing over Tariq's shoulder at the bizarre state I'm in. Worse still, I'm so horrified but transfixed, I don't even retreat! Tariq closes the door and looks at me with a mix of suprise and horror on his face, as I attempt to explain.
Hobbling back upstairs, annoyingly I can see after all that, in my rush to open the door, my nail polish smudged...guess the nail polish remover will be doing its normal job later.

So I'm sat here, in a towel about to go and wash out the dye...wish me luck!
x

Abdabs!

Bought a wonderful new book yesterday that will increase my vocabulary and probably make my tutors wish I hadn't bought it! It is 'The superior person's second book of words' by Peter Bowler, and I highly recommend it...actually, don't worry about buying it, I shall be sharing some of the words it contains with you.

The first of which is the first one in the book- Abdabs or Habdabs. The extract for which is:

Abdabs or Habdabs: n. A state of extreme nervousness- the jitters. One of those
marvelous, naturally expressive terms which the dictionaries don't even try to
etymologize. 'Hoo-ha' is another. 'All this hoo-ha is giving me the abdabs.'

A wonderful book I'm sure you will agree. And like me, I'm sure you look forward to hearing more words that will undoubtedly give you the abdabs!!

Ps: everyone is leaving. Lucy was first to go (boo hiss), Kirsty followed quickly, and now Nic is preparing to leave, alas it will be just me and Tariq here for the next 2 weeks before I depart back home. But on the plus side, it feels more like spring today and my illness is getting better, I've already had 2 meals today, and don't feel half as bad as yesterday. wooo! xx

Phase one of hair transformation

Bought a brown hair dye today, so stage one of hair transformation can go underway tomorrow! Exciting! Then i need to book an appointment to get it cut and highlights put in. Scary!
Going off to ramshackle tonight, watch this space for more photos!!
xx

Embarrassing moments...

Have just read Gill's blog about embarrassing situations...
This is odd, as her conversation with her mike is very very similar to my conversation with my mike as pillow talk the other night too...we are morphing I think.

Our conversation was very similar:
Ali: What's your most embarrassing moment?
Mike: You know this, I've told you.
Ali: well I don't remember, tell me again!
Mike: No
Ali: yes

I forced it out of him in the end, and I have to say, it was more horrible than embarrassing. He then asked what mine was.
Ali: Oh god (rolling my eyes) it has to have been when I was about 9 or 10, and we were waiting outside M&S for my mum to finish work one evening. It was the summer, and hot, and I was wearing a dress. I don't know if you remember the game 'leap frog' but I decided, with my younger sister, to while the time in the side street next to the store, to play this game over the bollards lining the street.
This was not such a good idea as I found out 3 seconds later when my dress caught on the bollard and I was left hanging upside down on the bollard, feet waving in the air, knickers in full view and my dad sat in the car wetting himself laughing! I was helpless and my father decided not to help me at all, neither did my sister. I stayed like this for what must have been nearly 5 minutes although it felt like an hour, you'd think now is the time my father comes to rescue me, but no, it took a passing old lady to stop and say "do you need any help dear?" to which I muttered a reply and graciously accepted, scuttling back to the car as quick as I could after!

Mike: oh yeah! That is quite funny!
Ali: Thanks!

It just made me think even more of today's embarrassing moment. Gill gets about 5 a day- and i'm not referring to daily fruit and veg intake- i can so relate to this. Take today for instance:
In a lecture I decide to open up my lucozade drink, unfortnately for me, it had got somewhat shaken up in my bag, and thus covered everything quite spectacularly within a few feet, including me, the chair and other people (nearly the tutor)! The room erupted with laughter, mostly at the tutors face of disbelief, and to make matters worse I apologised with the legendary words of "er, sorry everyone, I appear to have had an explosion!"
Result- more laughter and a few tears...of laughter! I scuttled out of the room which in retrospect of those words was perhaps not such a good idea with the words of Arnie "I'll be back!" and ran to the toilet emerging later with hand towels, bursting back into the room with much more apologising and mopping up of my 'explosion'!

I feel Gill's pain, and my conclusion is, that some of us in this life are just destined to have more embarrassing moments than others!

Legends!!

Would just like to say, Andy Simpson, Wayne Richards and Gill Cressey are gods and goddess respectively!
How amazing are our lecturers? They've managed to change our exam date from April 25th to June 7th instead because we have so much else to do over easter- like essays and dissertation!
How cool is that?
Just had to say that we have the BEST lecturers in the world who actually fight in our corner for us.

On another note, feedback from the prison presentation from our lecturer was very positive, so all we have to do now is write it up and hand it in!

And i'm thinking of dying my hair brown again- back to it's normal (ish) colour and getting rid of the very faded red, and then getting it trimmed and some highlights put in, in dark blonde/light brown...comments please! xx

Chihuahua!

According to this: http://uk.tickle.com I am a Chihuahua! Yes I took the 'Dog' test...ironic eh!?

These are my traits, read them and tell me if that has not just got my name written all over it!

No bones about it, you're an energetic, devoted Chihuahua. For your breed, size definitely doesn't matter. After all, sometimes the best things (diamonds, car keys, Godiva truffles) come in small packages. Honest and straightforward, you're never afraid to speak up for what you believe in, especially if it's a cause near and dear to your heart. Having such a passionate personality can come with a few drawbacks, though. You can be moody at times, and people often find it hard to live up to your high standards. But once you make a friend, it's for life. Saucy and intense, your energy and unfailing loyalty make you a great companion. Woof!

Pill Popping

Have been given antibiotics by the doctor- I finally relented yesterday, and fed up at not being able to sleep, my abs killing me whenever I cough, and just generally feeling shitty, I made an appointment first thing yesterday morning and was offered the chance to see the Doc at 8.40- which i gratefully accepted. He told me nothing I couldn't have told him:

Doc: hmmmm I see
Ali: What? What do you see?
Doc: Well you're tonsils are inflamed
Ali: My tonsils are always big though
Doc: Yes, but this is affecting your whole head- your throat is also inflamed and you have a temperature.
Ali: yes, I thought so.
Doc: And it's affecting your sinus' also. I will prescribe you something.
Ali: Oh, good. Er....so what is it then?
Doc: Well it's hard to tell (!!!!!) It could be bacterial or it could be viral, I don't know (!!!!!!!!) but what I've prescribed will cover both!
Ali: Oh, er, good!
Doc: And keep taking LOTS of paracetamol, or ibruprofen or whatever
Ali- ponders what 'whatever' means.
Doc: Thankyou, goodbye.
Ali: oh, er, thanks, bye.

No room there then for additional questions I guess! I then endured blistering winds on the corner or Dawlish for 10 minutes whilst I waited for the Chemist to open. It seems ridiculous that the Chemist opening time does NOT correspond to the Doctor opening time. When I did go in, I had to pay for my prescription (thank you to the people who work out whether you're entitled to free prescriptions or not, they decided last week NOT to renew mine- I am apparently no longer poor enough to warrant leeching off them with free prescriptions!) so in going to pay, I decided it was more convenient to pay on my card, and was told curtly by the witch behind the counter that 'there is a 35 pence charge for all cards' I grumpily said 'that's a bit of a rip off then isn't it?' and grudgingly gave her the money...all in coppers!

Party Pics

These pictures give you some idea of the types of parties I've attended over the last month or so...and no, we weren't on drugs, although it is perfectly understandable as to why you may think so.

The aptly named 'corona crane dance'- lovin' emma's face (Richard just looks, as usual, psychotic)

Richard sneaks some more wine, when he thinks no one is looking....

Note the Haribo Bling!

'Smile and they won't notice we're stealing their alchohol'

"What are you looking at?"

This explains a LOT.....

The Penguin of Death spares me my life.

My life as 'Multi Hat Model' begins...

Sickness

This is green. To reflect my mood. Very poetic eh?
Not when you consider how SICK i feel. There. That spoilt the romance and poetry didn't it? Sorry.
Yesterday, for the record, with the presentation went well. Really well I thought, despite me feeling like this. I dosed myself up on flu tablets and lucozade and acted bloody brilliantly (if I may say so) for an hour, then crashed. LOL
I'd have been screwed if we'd had to present for 2 hours, an hour I can do, but it drained me.
Today, I have mostly spent in bed to be honest. I didn't even move from it until gone 3pm! I have now showered, spent some time in my dressing gown contemplating putting on clothes, then decided against it and went back to pyjamas again. I'm now going to finish this, and then go back to bed. I can't stay long, the glare of the screen is hurting my eyes- but I did need to write a journal article which has to be submitted (as a University assignment) on thursday. This I have as good as done, and so I shall now retire...again.
Goodnight and Godbless.
x

How to get paid for talking!

Feeling very pink today- possibly because of the types of lipstick i've been looking at for the last god knows how long...but yeah, I got £50 for just talking about lipstick, what I buy and don't and why- looking at advertisements and saying what I thought, and t.v programmes over 3 hours. Not bad work really.

Can feel a sore throat coming on though, which isn't good as I have this dreaded presentation tomorrow, still once that's over I can be as ill as I like- kinda- still got 2 essays in for next Thurs, although have started both so it's all good. All the same- hey, maybe it's psychosymatic (however it's spelt) maybe it's because I DON'T want to do the presentation and it will be miraculously better tomorrow night- somehow I doubt this. I've done presentations before, and not gotten a sore throat. Oh dear.

Google is Bad

So I never thought I'd utter these words, but 'Google is Bad' with a capital 'B'. On a whim, which I'm never doing again, I typed in an ex's name....I do this every so often, mostly because I want to know what he's doing- he was highly intelligent, a literal Albert Einstein as Phsyics and Mathematics were his field, and I'm still convinced one day he'll come up with some genius theory or discover something and be famous. Only today I find out, courtesy of Google and Friends Reunited (not that I want to reunite with him- I was double checking what I read on Google) that he is no longer at teh University of Southampton, instead he has moved to the University of Adelaide- Australia.
Look, I've never had any regrets about leaving the bastard, anyone who knows me will tell you the misery he put me through with another girl being involved- note word 'girl' not woman! 16 to be precise, and he was 25! Yes, anyway, another story. I was very unhappy, I've never had any regrets about the choice I made- again people know the choice and dilemma I had. However, bear in mind, this guy once told me in his cryptic way, we 'could' be together forever. His way of stating committment I guess...
It scared me then, those of you who know me know why! But not enough to leave, and he was a multimillionnaire heir....not that that ever bothered me either- money scares me to be honest. As long as I have enough to get by I'm perfectly happy. I'd rather be poor and happy, than rich and unhappy- which is what it would have turned out like I think.
But Australia. *if* i'd stayed, that is a big if you all know, if i I'd stayed, just think- beaches, holidays, he could pay- he was rich enough dammit- hot, hot holidays.....shouldn't think like this I know, but it just naturally makes me wonder what *could* have been.
I know deep down, nothing would ever have happened long term between us, 5 months and I was so unhappy I was glad to leave, and like I say, never any regrets. The only thing really nagging me is whether he took the slut with him or not...cos I've always maintained despite evidence that pointed the other way, that he never actually did anything with her, or was interested in her, that it was her manipulating the situation the whole time. And I still believe that- if she didn't go. Because after we broke up, everyone said she'd be first on the scene, she outright asked me to leave him so she could be with him! Plucky 16 year old I have to say. She put me through hell and back in that relationship, and if it wasn't for her, maybe, just maybe we'd have made it longer... Who knows. But I always contested the fact that he'd go out with her, I was convinced, and still am, that he wasn't interested in her, it didn't make sense- he did so much to placate me. Stopped contacting her, wouldn't speak to her- that was why she got so mad and spoke to me directly! Lol, crazy bitch.
But if he did, if he did get with her, and took her to Australia, then I think I'd be annoyed, because I'd feel like a fool.
I'm not going to google her to find out....I'm going to try to resist anyway. Maybe I need to know. Oh god. This is bad now isn't it....leave it Ali, leave it.
I'm going to sit on my hands, so that I don't find out.

ali x

Paaartay!

Ok, so as I'm sat here with my peppermint tea (1st cup for today) I'm trying to remember what the hell happened last night.
Well, I know what happened of course, it was 53's houseparty, and once again, predictably, I got drunk.
Suprisingly I don't have a hangover this morning...God only knows why, cos I think I deserve one.
So, I remember going to Subway, getting steak and cheese...I love that one. I remember going back to eat it because I was hungry and Mike wondering where the hell I was going. I remember drinking a lot, but not after subway, cos that made me tired, so I remember going to mike's room and getting into his bed and going to sleep. No idea how long I was asleep for, but I was very disorientated when Mike woke me up and told me I had to go home to sleep. I was also very uncooperative as well, sulking like a child. Yes, laugh away. I was horrible. God, I wish I hadn't been so horrid. I then remember getting quite annoyed at Mike because he palmed me off onto Kirst and her Mike as they were going back to mine, and didn't walk back with me or stay over...after he had said 'lets get you home'- in my drunken state it made perfect sense for that to mean 'i'm staying at yours'. So I walked up Dawlish muttering under my breath with my teeth chattering from the cold, cursing Mike for A) waking me up, B) making me walk home in the Godforsaken bitter cold and C) not coming with me.
I was still cross when I got in and noticed it was half 3, and so wrote him a text to tell him so....Oh deary me, NOT a good idea. I had 2 texts on my phone this morning apologising and apologising some more...when really, it should've been me apologising. The worrying thing was the time difference between them though, 3.52am and 4.27am- he was still feeling bad about it nearly an hour after I left.
Poor mike, he does wonders to put up with me, no one else would I'm sure.
x

ps...if anyone would like to tell me about an apparent knife I had last night, I sure would appreciate it, I can't remember it.

The world according to me

Tonights session at youth club went really well. I mean, really, really well. I was nervous as I was running it, but the young people just went with it, once they got talking and discussing stuff they didn't wanna stop- great for me, but how the hell am I gonna edit it and write about it in my dissertation, and in only 3000 odd words?? I could write the whole dissertation just on what they've said tonight alone!
Wow, got such a buzz out of it, it's nights like this when i remember and realise exactly why I do the work I do. Gotta hold onto that thought when I get a bad night I think.
The only bit was right at the end, past the end actually....They'd been fantastic all night long, and I thought there was something a little odd in that...but anyway, they left, we did evaluation, then we left. I got a lift with Stretch, and as I got out of the car at the top of my road, I went round the back of it- there tucked into the boot and very artistically arranged were all the signs that are normally pinned to the door of the centre such as - "We do not have public toilets" and "Learn to Speak Spanish here on Wednesdays"!! I had to laugh, they were quite ingenious with how they used them really.

Oh and I feel it absolutely necessary to mention that I've drunk no less than 5 cups of tea today- 1 camomile, 3 peppermint, and one normal one! Beat that...no, don't actually!

"I know this one...."

Had a delightful meal out last night in Chamon for Mark's 21st, even though the Saag I ordered had chili peppers in it (???) and was thus quite hot. After drinking copious amounts of cheap wine, and delightful conversation whereby I discovered that 'John the squid' isn't actually a real person with a funny name, instead he is a made up character created by the members of 53 in response to Pete's squid phobia.
We went back to 53 for a little bit, and then I got an invite to the Pear where Jack, his housemates and his friends were. So I trundled along. I'm now beginning to wonder why on earth Jack feels the need to invite me to these pub things, especially when they all seem to be quizzes, and I'm notoriously bad at quizzes, I know nothing...no, really...look, I thought 'John the squid' was a person; I'm not exactly going to know which country won the race to the top of Mt.Everest in 1875 am I? I'm not even sure if anyone had conquered Everest then....
Well, after sitting, feeling distinctly more and more disappointed with myself and my lack of knowledge, there came a question that I KNEW. It surely was a wonderous moment when the quizmaster read out:
"What other animal apart from Human can get Leprosy?"
"I know this, I know this" I leapt out of my chair like I was attached to a firecracker, shouting with Glee "I know this, It's Pigs"
The quizmaster then said "Is it A) Horses, B) some animal I can't remember or C...." I waited with anticipation "....Armadillos?"

Armadillos! Armadillos! WHAT??? It's bloody Pigs I'm telling you.
Lovely Dan then decided to ask me why on earth I thought Pigs could get Leprosy.
"Well" I explained "I'm from Bath, and the whole legacy of the city is based on Prince Blaudaud who was cast aside from his empire and exiled when he got Leprosy. No one would come near him and the only job he could get was as a Swinehearder (Pig herder), unfortunately (Note please the tour guide phrasiology!) the Pigs caught his leprosy. Finally he herded them into the Avon Valley, not called that at the time, and there was a big bog of mud which the pigs liked to wallow in. Blaudaud noticed sometime later that the pigs were being cured of their Leprosy slowly, so he decided to bathe in the water too and eventually his leprosy was cured and he went back to reclaim his crown. That's why just outside Bath there is a village called Swineford (pronounced by poncy locals as SWIN ford) and there are lots of streets with reference to Blaudaud. It's because the spa waters running through the valley and under the city that the Romans found and exploited have 43 minerals and 7 trace elements in them and are extremely good for you."
Dan rolled around laughing and Jack tactfully mentioned to me, did I not perhaps think the LEGEND of Bath was just that- a fable, a legend, not true?
Haughtily I replied No I did not think that was what it was.

I didn't even attempt any more questions, and for those of you desperate to know which animal it was, it was the one that we put down: Armadillos. Apparently they're the ONLY other animal to get leprosy, this is sadly confirmed by Google this morning. My whole life up until now has been a lie, a fable, false, not true (Sigh)- I hope the quizmaster feels good about himself, destroying my identity and throwing my life into turmoil like that!

Why doesn't our internet work?

It is everyone's nightmare (or at least one of mine) to wake up and be told I've been cut off from the cyber world: no email, no msn, no Google! Horrific! And that's exactly what happened today.
From what I could tell it wasn't my fault, even though the router is in my room for accessability to signal for everyone. The lights were flashing where they should, it was just no one was home! I fiddled. Unplugged it. Mike re-set it. Still nothing. At a complete loss we text Kirsty's mike who is mechanical genius.

Some hours later, when Mike still hadn't turned up, Tariq emerges telling us that his internet isn't working properly (communal sigh), 'yes, we know. None of ours are either, mike is coming round to fix it.'
Tariq disappears, 20 minutes later a knock on the door- 'Sorry guys, it's my fault, I turned the modem off in my room last night!'

Thanks Tariq!
Apparently he 'wondered what the switch was for' and 'decided to turn it off' when nothing exploded or stopped working, he 'went to sleep'.

I am now filling time before Sushi. I'm very excited about this, I haven't had sushi for so long, too long. Only someone who will remain nameless but it's fairly obvious who it is, decided to play 'Civilization' and got carried away forgetting the time. Now, I don't think it's unfair to point out that I have been told on many an occasion that I need to plan my day to get the most from it. I did this today. Everything was planned around leaving at 6.30 for Sushi. I did some work, I arsed around on the 'net, I ate lunch appropriately, I even made time for my workout dvd only to get upstairs to a text asking if we can put it back to 7.30 because someone forgot the time and hence didn't do their Workout and would 'feel bad' if they didn't do it!
Hmmph.
Let it be written here forever, I NEVER want to be told again by said nameless person that I am to plan my day, and if those words are uttered, i reserve the right to shout at the top of my voice : HYPOCRITE.

thats all folks
xx

Immortalization

It's not everyday one gets told one will be immortalized...but it just so happens I was told that very thing today.

Let me start at the beginning, as Julie Andrews rightly tells us "a very good place to start".
Woke up feeling less than enthusiastic at getting up. Within moments of awakening I had not only shouted at my wonderful boyfriend for snoring in no less than 3 different ways last night, and keeping me awake in the process, but i had also stormed out of bed when he asked for a tissue to blow his godforsaken bunged up nose, and then proceeded to throw my slippers at the floor, followed by a lemon that was handily on my desk, before grabbing my dressing-gown and towel and going downstairs with a suitable slam of the door, all within the space of 2 minutes, and all before I'd even had a shower!
Quite impressive- in a bad kinda way.
I mellowed out a little in the shower and was at least able to explain why I was so angry at being asked for tissues when I got back. We made up, and I went to meet Jodie after breakfast to go to Uni.

Now, yesterday it so happens I did a 'good deed'; not because it in itself was a 'good deed' but because I wanted to help the person out. The good deed involved putting a prospective student who had been lost for well over an hour in a taxi, paying the £6 the driver demanded up front to get her to her interview for Nursing on time. Why? Because I felt like it. No other reason. It was spontaneous. I had the money she didn't. She didn't have time to get to her interview on time using just public transport - buses, we all know how frequent they are. She was on her own and lost. Birmingham is a big city, the University is a big place. It's easy to get lost, and to be honest, if I had not known Kirsty when I came for my interview I'd have got lost too!
So that was that.
I could sleep easier knowing she at least got to her interview on time.

Karma,
Funny thing.
I did it partly because someone did something unexpected and nice to me the day before that brightened my day...
So I wasn't expecting to get something in return today.
But I did.

Immortalization.

Yes, I will live forever...well, my words will live for at least the next year.
Let me explain some more.
During my afternoon lecture my phone rang. No number and I hoped it might be the BBC finally getting back to me on my querie. I cancelled it, and hoped they'd leave a message. They did, but unfortunately it wasn't the BBC. It was my tutor in the next building! Her message was:
"Hello Alison, if it's at all possible I'd like you to come and see me today at about quarter to four regarding a quote."
That was it. Now, to anyone else, that might seem fine. Nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, due to a horrible incident in my first year where I was nearly incarcerated by my tutor and the head of department for emailing my entire essay to another student before it was marked, and her subsequently as good as copying it...this was NOT good news to hear.

I practically ran to her office, and went in taking a deep breath. She didn't look angry, she didn't look upset with me or disappointed or like she was about to kick me out of the university when I had got so close to completing it...and then she explained.
"I want to immortalize you" she said.
She wanted a quote FROM me- to go on the literature that is sent out to the prospective students and available for anyone to read. I nearly danced I was so relieved...actually, thinking about it, I DID dance, and she didn't seem to mind!
I roped Jodie into it as well and between us we have come up with a statement that will go on the official University of Birmingham Undergraduate literature and I'm so getting a copy!

So there we go,
Immortalization can be found in Beulah Plunkett's Office on Thursday 2/3/06 at 3.45pm!

Pinch Punch, first of the month...

Childish I know, but I had to begin the day with this in my lecture!

Boring lectures of the day-2
Good deeds of the day-1
Cups of tea- not nearly enough-2 at present
Spots- too many again, all randomly appeared.
Blonde moments- Suprisingly none
Ulcers - 2 on the back of my throat that really hurt!
Emails sent- 1
Emails recieved- 3

This is a random post....It just is, no real particular reason, i'm just in a random mood.

Went to Gill's party the other night, got very drunk even though I had no intention of doing that. That was also a bizarre day, it started with me on a train, coming home, and the guy sat next to me, pulling out the same (Jeremy Clarkson) book as me to read at the SAME TIME.
He was replaced at Cheltenham Spa by a guy who was reading a script entitled 'Sorted' Final Version, BBC. I wanted to talk to him, but he didn't look like he had an ounce of humour in him, so i decided against it.
Walking to work up Tiverton Road, I encounter an apple rolling down the pavement towards me, with absolutely nobody in sight to have dropped it...that was weird. So weird I felt the need to text both Gill and Lucy about it.
I went to work and had a horrid time, brats! Then went home via the pub quiz, in which I spectacularly managed to get no answers for in the short time I was there. I went home first via the offlicence for booze for Gill's party...and was told they don't accept cards, so i trudged, in the rain, to OMCO and then went to mine (via Mike's). It was, to say the least, a very roundabout way home.
Had a good time at the party, where I was informed (not for the first time in my life) that I have funny elbows and my arms are not straight (I still, despite photographic evidence being taken that I can't remember, beg to differ on that one). It ended with pizza that Mike miraculously went and got from Tesco at 3 am (Gill's mike) on his bike; and me attempting to do chin-ups on the bar in his doorway...

Good night in total I think.

ps. Was also informed that Mike's scary Picachu toy that is possessed (it sits in the kitchen, and is meant to speak when tapped, however it has 'evolved'/malfunctioned and used to speak when the light was turned OFF, but now speaks if it's turned on or off!!) will be coming to sit in my kitchen next year...so I can look forward to many (oh so many) moments of being scared shitless by 'Pica, pica, picachu' in a high pitched voice at 3am when i get in from a night out inebriated by alcohol. As Ford Prefect once said in a similarly dire situation: Terrrrrific!