It can't come quickly enough
I'm attempting to put together my course portfolio and thoroughly confusing myself in the process. The idea is that we return all of our marked coursework (for moderation, I presume) in a standard format, complete with contents page with all accumulated marks. The trouble is, there are several pieces of marked coursework that I haven't collected from the school office, and several more that haven't actually been marked yet. The deadline for this was last Friday. Oops. That one managed to slip by me, for some reason. Not that it matters too much as they know that we've done the work -- it's just a case of returning it to them. I'm not sure what the point to all this is though. I kinda like to have a record of my work with my marks on it so that I can look back on how I did and work out what I need to improve. I've still got all of my undergrad coursework... somewhere.
All that matters now (all that can matter now) is getting my research underway and written up. I'm re-writing my literature review (following one of those special 'lets change the direction of your project' meetings) and my method section's pretty much done, so it's just a case of getting into the school and torturing the kids... once their parents give me permission of course!
The London trip over the weekend was most definitely worth it. Nice (yet cheap) hotel + Paradise Lost (Oxford 3rd year production) + Wagamamas + God of Carnage + Rikshaw ride + late night drinks in the Lamb = a very good day. Paradise Lost (by Odets, not Milton) was... depressing, but very stylishly done. The cast were excellent, and the venue - the Southwark theatre - was atmospheric to say the least. It was great to get to see what sort of thing I'll be working towards, but one thing that struck me at the time was how inordinately good-looking the entire cast was. I mean really good-looking. Especially some of the boys... phew! Maybe it was just a fluke of that year group, but they certainly were a pretty bunch! Or maybe it was just good lighting!
God of Carnage was amazing. So incredibly funny and beautifully written. Again, not the happiest of take-home messages, but hugely enjoyable nonetheless. It was great to see Tamsin Greig and Ralph Fiennes in the flesh :-D It's made me desperate to go and see Art now (also by Yasmina Reza), but I think I've missed my chance by a good few years. Reza is such a brilliant writer. So bitingly true to life and so, so funny. If I ever get the chance to be involved in one of her plays I will be a happy, happy woman.
And finally, the Lamb. It's a gorgeous, old fashioned little pub just off Russell Square. Famous for its real ales and good value for a London pub. The experience turned from the pleasant to the pleasantly surreal when mum and I started talking to the two guys we met after an hour or so in the place. It goes to prove that you never know who you're going to end up meeting in a place like London, as one of the guys turned out to be a writer for the BBC, who is married to Jo Cauldfield -- a comedy heroine of mine. We only started talking because the guy (I'm ashamed to say that I can't remember his name) thought that I looked like Tina Fey...? I later realised who she is, but I'm not convinced of the resemblance. Nevertheless, we ended up talking until the pub closed, and he gave me some great advice on working in the entertainment industry. Never too early to start making connections, I guess! Don't want to get ahead of myself though -- I haven't even started at drama school yet and I'll just end up setting myself up for disappointment.
Very bizarre. But very good weekend!
***
I was scared awake last night. Not a nice experience. I woke up to... screaming... that's the only way I can describe it. At first I thought the cats were fighting, then I wondered if the chicken was being brutally murdered, then I realised that the screaming was moving around and was coming from the direction of the school. Turns out it was a group of foxes. Bloody Hell though, I never knew they could make that noise. It sounds like a woman screaming, but not quite. It has some... other-worldly quality to it. Actually, it just sounded wrong. I had to close all the windows (despite the heat), because even when I knew what was making the noise, it still sent chills through me.
*shudders*
Time for (another) cup of tea. My vice. How dull!
All that matters now (all that can matter now) is getting my research underway and written up. I'm re-writing my literature review (following one of those special 'lets change the direction of your project' meetings) and my method section's pretty much done, so it's just a case of getting into the school and torturing the kids... once their parents give me permission of course!
The London trip over the weekend was most definitely worth it. Nice (yet cheap) hotel + Paradise Lost (Oxford 3rd year production) + Wagamamas + God of Carnage + Rikshaw ride + late night drinks in the Lamb = a very good day. Paradise Lost (by Odets, not Milton) was... depressing, but very stylishly done. The cast were excellent, and the venue - the Southwark theatre - was atmospheric to say the least. It was great to get to see what sort of thing I'll be working towards, but one thing that struck me at the time was how inordinately good-looking the entire cast was. I mean really good-looking. Especially some of the boys... phew! Maybe it was just a fluke of that year group, but they certainly were a pretty bunch! Or maybe it was just good lighting!
God of Carnage was amazing. So incredibly funny and beautifully written. Again, not the happiest of take-home messages, but hugely enjoyable nonetheless. It was great to see Tamsin Greig and Ralph Fiennes in the flesh :-D It's made me desperate to go and see Art now (also by Yasmina Reza), but I think I've missed my chance by a good few years. Reza is such a brilliant writer. So bitingly true to life and so, so funny. If I ever get the chance to be involved in one of her plays I will be a happy, happy woman.
And finally, the Lamb. It's a gorgeous, old fashioned little pub just off Russell Square. Famous for its real ales and good value for a London pub. The experience turned from the pleasant to the pleasantly surreal when mum and I started talking to the two guys we met after an hour or so in the place. It goes to prove that you never know who you're going to end up meeting in a place like London, as one of the guys turned out to be a writer for the BBC, who is married to Jo Cauldfield -- a comedy heroine of mine. We only started talking because the guy (I'm ashamed to say that I can't remember his name) thought that I looked like Tina Fey...? I later realised who she is, but I'm not convinced of the resemblance. Nevertheless, we ended up talking until the pub closed, and he gave me some great advice on working in the entertainment industry. Never too early to start making connections, I guess! Don't want to get ahead of myself though -- I haven't even started at drama school yet and I'll just end up setting myself up for disappointment.
Very bizarre. But very good weekend!
***
I was scared awake last night. Not a nice experience. I woke up to... screaming... that's the only way I can describe it. At first I thought the cats were fighting, then I wondered if the chicken was being brutally murdered, then I realised that the screaming was moving around and was coming from the direction of the school. Turns out it was a group of foxes. Bloody Hell though, I never knew they could make that noise. It sounds like a woman screaming, but not quite. It has some... other-worldly quality to it. Actually, it just sounded wrong. I had to close all the windows (despite the heat), because even when I knew what was making the noise, it still sent chills through me.
*shudders*
Time for (another) cup of tea. My vice. How dull!