[Obligatory Intro Post] Enough about me, let's talk about, well, me.
The hardest thing to start is an introductory post. But since I deleted the one I had years ago, I felt it was time to reinstate it, especially in light of people stumbling across this journal. I will try to make this as concise as possible, and in taking a leaf out of silviarambles book I will also include photos; thus cutting down on words and giving some pretty pictures for people to look at. [This is your warning of a potentially image heavy post beneath the cut...]
Hi, my name's Kimberley.
(And the pug is Watson.)
To start with, as of January 2015 I am in my last year (rather my last months) of an undergraduate degree from the University of Cambridge, reading History*, and am President of Robinson College Chapel Choir.
I'm a mature student, though to anyone who meets me they usually think I'm standard age (so around 20/21), which works for me when I don't want to be looked at as 'old', but against me when I don't have ID on me when I try to get into clubs. (Ah, clubs. A thing that I never went to ten years ago, and yet now do so, sometimes...) I have little idea at the time of posting this what my next step is. Whether a year of work somewhere (north or Cambridge-based) before further study, or straight into further study on a not so vocation-based/highly competitive course to get onto, OR just work. I guess this will resolve itself over the coming months. Well, it will have to. And that's not a terrifying thought in any way.
I am, in a lot of ways, still a child at heart. I giggle and laugh at the inappropriate. I'll always find a double entendre in sentences whether overtly or covertly, and yet I would never once say I'm immature. (Perhaps now is when I should mention last year was the big-old three-oh landmark birthday, on November 30th...)
My time before Cambridge was spent working as first a Teaching Assistant, and then a Higher Level Teaching Assistant (without the extra pay). The difference is simply that I could cover and teach classes, and did so for seven years. I taught all the curriculum, and especially took Music lessons. Some of my fondest memories were created there. A lot of who I am was brought out of me there, and it's these parts of me that Cambridge has honed. I ran a cheerleading squad for eight years, teaching girls and boys from 7-11 to throw, catch, tumble and perform both safely and well. Working with children always made the low pay and poor communication within the school worth it. More than worth it. I'm not planning on going back to teaching, though I'd never rule it out in some respects. It's a satisfying role, and imparting knowledge to people (in a non-patronising way) is something that I love.
My journal has also gone through various incarnations. Originally ebonystar, I changed the name a few years ago to give myself a makeover. My journal is stuffed full of writing, and it will continue to be so over the coming years. I've written since I was six and can't seem to stop. If I do, I frequently feel a bit lacklustre and as though I'm missing a part of myself. Trite, but true. The writing that is here, and the writing that will appear, is mostly of a homosexual, slash nature. That said, there are 'gen' stories, and some vaguely heterosexual pairings. These are all tagged appropriately, and this is a large part of what this journal is for, and has always been for.
The pre- and post-Cambridge Kimberley aren't that different. There's a couple of things that have changed in large ways. One is the addition of two pet pugs, Watson and Mary.
Watson, born 12th October 2013, and Mary, born 9th May 2014.
These are bred, before anyone berates my choice in breed of dog, by a breeder who does so not for bulgy eyes, or overly flattened muzzles. They're also screened for all health afflictions and raised in a loving house before being adopted/taken away.
And just because, here are more snaps of them:
The other major change to my life happened slowly over the course of my time at Cambridge. From meeting through choir in my first term of first year, to the culmination of a strong, deep friendship in the spring of my second year, I ended up partners with this dork:
I think this is a good indication of us:
But in many ways not. Needless to say, his name will be a feature of the journal. He's Alvo, German, and not only my partner but (very sappily) my best friend.
Another couple of people who will be named are Lizzy, Steph, and Clara. At the moment I only have one photo of me and Steph, and a few of Lizzy with me (more below), but the one immediately below is from Fitzwilliam College's Winter Ball last year, the way I marked my 30th with two very special people:
And that one with Steph, during a choir evensong at Peterborough cathedral last year:
Outside of Cambridge, these people are most important to me:
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Other than that, the other facts about me that I shall leave you with are as follows:
§ I frequently go through phases with colours in my hair. Prior to Cambridge I was bright copper and red, then all red, then all purple, and now part ombre with red and a dark raspberry, moving towards going coppery again.
§ I draw, sing, play the cello and flute, love walking and am taking up running more and more seriously.
§ I love sci fi. And Marvel.
§ One of my all time favourite cities is Berlin. I first went in 2012 and have been back in 2013. I'll return again, soon, too. Other than Berlin, I have been to Prague, Leipzig, Nuremberg, Frankfurt, Genoa and Rome with my mother, and Innsbruck, Lodi and Milan with the choir.
After that, have another few photos of people and my life over the past couple of years.
The Chapel Choir of Robinson College, Cambridge - 2012-13
The Chapel Choir of Robinson College, Cambridge - 2013-14
Lizzy + Me // Back row, l-r: Rosie, Kate, Rebecca. Front row, l-r: Steph, Lizzy, Me, Lotte, Mari, Cathy
From l-r: David, James, Jon Coote, Alvo, Sam Cahill, Jon // From l-r: Me, Jon, Zoë, Sam
Robinson May Ball 2014 - L-r: Alex, Me, Alvo // Choir Tour to Milan, 2014 - L-r: Ed, Me, Alvo
Robinson May Ball 2014 - Me and Zoë
Robinson Choir, Tour to Lodi and Milan 2014
*At Cambridge you 'read' subjects. Quite literally. In an average week you are expected to read at least eleven books for a weekly essay on a topic in a section of History that you have probably never studied before. It's no wonder this place is a hotbed of mental illness and neuroses. I wish I were jesting.
Hi, my name's Kimberley.
(And the pug is Watson.)
To start with, as of January 2015 I am in my last year (rather my last months) of an undergraduate degree from the University of Cambridge, reading History*, and am President of Robinson College Chapel Choir.
I'm a mature student, though to anyone who meets me they usually think I'm standard age (so around 20/21), which works for me when I don't want to be looked at as 'old', but against me when I don't have ID on me when I try to get into clubs. (Ah, clubs. A thing that I never went to ten years ago, and yet now do so, sometimes...) I have little idea at the time of posting this what my next step is. Whether a year of work somewhere (north or Cambridge-based) before further study, or straight into further study on a not so vocation-based/highly competitive course to get onto, OR just work. I guess this will resolve itself over the coming months. Well, it will have to. And that's not a terrifying thought in any way.
I am, in a lot of ways, still a child at heart. I giggle and laugh at the inappropriate. I'll always find a double entendre in sentences whether overtly or covertly, and yet I would never once say I'm immature. (Perhaps now is when I should mention last year was the big-old three-oh landmark birthday, on November 30th...)
My time before Cambridge was spent working as first a Teaching Assistant, and then a Higher Level Teaching Assistant (without the extra pay). The difference is simply that I could cover and teach classes, and did so for seven years. I taught all the curriculum, and especially took Music lessons. Some of my fondest memories were created there. A lot of who I am was brought out of me there, and it's these parts of me that Cambridge has honed. I ran a cheerleading squad for eight years, teaching girls and boys from 7-11 to throw, catch, tumble and perform both safely and well. Working with children always made the low pay and poor communication within the school worth it. More than worth it. I'm not planning on going back to teaching, though I'd never rule it out in some respects. It's a satisfying role, and imparting knowledge to people (in a non-patronising way) is something that I love.
My journal has also gone through various incarnations. Originally ebonystar, I changed the name a few years ago to give myself a makeover. My journal is stuffed full of writing, and it will continue to be so over the coming years. I've written since I was six and can't seem to stop. If I do, I frequently feel a bit lacklustre and as though I'm missing a part of myself. Trite, but true. The writing that is here, and the writing that will appear, is mostly of a homosexual, slash nature. That said, there are 'gen' stories, and some vaguely heterosexual pairings. These are all tagged appropriately, and this is a large part of what this journal is for, and has always been for.
The pre- and post-Cambridge Kimberley aren't that different. There's a couple of things that have changed in large ways. One is the addition of two pet pugs, Watson and Mary.
Watson, born 12th October 2013, and Mary, born 9th May 2014.
These are bred, before anyone berates my choice in breed of dog, by a breeder who does so not for bulgy eyes, or overly flattened muzzles. They're also screened for all health afflictions and raised in a loving house before being adopted/taken away.
And just because, here are more snaps of them:
The other major change to my life happened slowly over the course of my time at Cambridge. From meeting through choir in my first term of first year, to the culmination of a strong, deep friendship in the spring of my second year, I ended up partners with this dork:
I think this is a good indication of us:
But in many ways not. Needless to say, his name will be a feature of the journal. He's Alvo, German, and not only my partner but (very sappily) my best friend.
Another couple of people who will be named are Lizzy, Steph, and Clara. At the moment I only have one photo of me and Steph, and a few of Lizzy with me (more below), but the one immediately below is from Fitzwilliam College's Winter Ball last year, the way I marked my 30th with two very special people:
And that one with Steph, during a choir evensong at Peterborough cathedral last year:
Outside of Cambridge, these people are most important to me:
Other than that, the other facts about me that I shall leave you with are as follows:
§ I frequently go through phases with colours in my hair. Prior to Cambridge I was bright copper and red, then all red, then all purple, and now part ombre with red and a dark raspberry, moving towards going coppery again.
§ I draw, sing, play the cello and flute, love walking and am taking up running more and more seriously.
§ I love sci fi. And Marvel.
§ One of my all time favourite cities is Berlin. I first went in 2012 and have been back in 2013. I'll return again, soon, too. Other than Berlin, I have been to Prague, Leipzig, Nuremberg, Frankfurt, Genoa and Rome with my mother, and Innsbruck, Lodi and Milan with the choir.
After that, have another few photos of people and my life over the past couple of years.
The Chapel Choir of Robinson College, Cambridge - 2012-13
The Chapel Choir of Robinson College, Cambridge - 2013-14
Lizzy + Me // Back row, l-r: Rosie, Kate, Rebecca. Front row, l-r: Steph, Lizzy, Me, Lotte, Mari, Cathy
From l-r: David, James, Jon Coote, Alvo, Sam Cahill, Jon // From l-r: Me, Jon, Zoë, Sam
Robinson May Ball 2014 - L-r: Alex, Me, Alvo // Choir Tour to Milan, 2014 - L-r: Ed, Me, Alvo
Robinson May Ball 2014 - Me and Zoë
Robinson Choir, Tour to Lodi and Milan 2014
*At Cambridge you 'read' subjects. Quite literally. In an average week you are expected to read at least eleven books for a weekly essay on a topic in a section of History that you have probably never studied before. It's no wonder this place is a hotbed of mental illness and neuroses. I wish I were jesting.