Through calloused work i will grow soft
So, having this afternoon completed an exam in the rather grand Great Hall of the University of Birmingham I am now... wait for it... one third of the way through my Masters. The words 'Part Time' have never been truer. That said, I am now starting to think about what will happen afterwards - for the time will arrive, perhaps sooner than I expected. I have absolutely no idea how or where to start applying for a PhD. I have the bare bones of a proposal lying around on my computer somewhere, but the whole process is just too intimidating for me to contemplate right now. I have ordered a book to help me through it. Obviously I'm expecting that to answer all my questions and solve all my issues. I'm under the impression this is called 'optimism'.
Nothing too exciting has happened since I last wrote....
I moved back to Leicester, then on my first weekend back got beaten up in Oadby. Nothing too serious, like - but I got a raft of charming leaflets through the post, including 'Coping with Common Assault' and 'What is Assault?', which obviously made me feel much better. I'll admit to feeling a little isolated in Leicester. It seems I know fewer people my own age in this city than I anticipated and I'm too tired when I get home to go out nearly as much as I would like - or need to, if I'm going to meet new folk. That said, I am going out every evening this week so complaining might be a wee bit premature. Things are plodding along ok. I'm happy enough.
Since I last wrote, I started my new job. This is a slightly bitter point. I intended for the focus of these years to be my degree, with a nice mindless job to fund me along. Unfortunately, just four weeks after my arrival the Senior Estimator left the company - and then there were two. We have far too much work for two people to cope with and there is a huge amount of pressure and... gosh, even anger that we're struggling to keep up, despite it seemingly being an inevitable outcome. Two weeks later, the one other estimator hands in her notice, and I'm left with far too much mindless work for me to be able to cope with. I'm exhausted when I get home - really struggling to keep up with uni work and everything else - and on top of that, I have pressure and aggression from all sides, its not fun. Needless to say I am looking for other work, but I can't just hand my notice in straight away - as I have, on more than one occasion, been tempted to do - because I am in ever increasing levels of debt. This needs some lateral thinking!
I've had a few trips to Edinburgh. A fair few people who know me may be shocked to hear that I have been *cough* flying, but I've been keeping a very careful eye on my carbon emissions and I'm fairly good in all other spheres of life. Is that any excuse? Well of course not, there is huge guilt.... but I want to see Paul as much as I can, it makes me very happy... and err... my time is extremely limited with work... If and when I next stand for the Greens, someone can bring this up and put me to shame. Explicit permission granted.
The new PJ Harvey album is really rather good. I'll stop going on about it soon. Yes I will.
Nothing too exciting has happened since I last wrote....
I moved back to Leicester, then on my first weekend back got beaten up in Oadby. Nothing too serious, like - but I got a raft of charming leaflets through the post, including 'Coping with Common Assault' and 'What is Assault?', which obviously made me feel much better. I'll admit to feeling a little isolated in Leicester. It seems I know fewer people my own age in this city than I anticipated and I'm too tired when I get home to go out nearly as much as I would like - or need to, if I'm going to meet new folk. That said, I am going out every evening this week so complaining might be a wee bit premature. Things are plodding along ok. I'm happy enough.
Since I last wrote, I started my new job. This is a slightly bitter point. I intended for the focus of these years to be my degree, with a nice mindless job to fund me along. Unfortunately, just four weeks after my arrival the Senior Estimator left the company - and then there were two. We have far too much work for two people to cope with and there is a huge amount of pressure and... gosh, even anger that we're struggling to keep up, despite it seemingly being an inevitable outcome. Two weeks later, the one other estimator hands in her notice, and I'm left with far too much mindless work for me to be able to cope with. I'm exhausted when I get home - really struggling to keep up with uni work and everything else - and on top of that, I have pressure and aggression from all sides, its not fun. Needless to say I am looking for other work, but I can't just hand my notice in straight away - as I have, on more than one occasion, been tempted to do - because I am in ever increasing levels of debt. This needs some lateral thinking!
I've had a few trips to Edinburgh. A fair few people who know me may be shocked to hear that I have been *cough* flying, but I've been keeping a very careful eye on my carbon emissions and I'm fairly good in all other spheres of life. Is that any excuse? Well of course not, there is huge guilt.... but I want to see Paul as much as I can, it makes me very happy... and err... my time is extremely limited with work... If and when I next stand for the Greens, someone can bring this up and put me to shame. Explicit permission granted.
The new PJ Harvey album is really rather good. I'll stop going on about it soon. Yes I will.