So... Much... HOMEWORK

Aaaaand THAT^ is my excuse for not having posted/irritated anyone in a while.

Fear not (or FEAR, whichever)- this is fast getting remedied and I should be staging a typing comeback  relatively soon...

For lack of anything better, my foot. Enjoy, people.

(P.S. I already have a 'feet' tag. Haha!)

All systems go over here

Just a quick post in order to say that I've been too busy with schoolwork etc. to do any posting these last couple of days. Most of it is self-inflicted, as per.

Listening to this song duting homework/revision, among others.

I'll write more sometime this week, ideally when I'm not asleep.

Here We Go Again...

Soooo, we're back at school... first day and I've already spent most of it chasing around desperately trying to find half a dozen different people:

- Mrs Ball ("give me my blazer!")
- Frazer ("and this is the calculator you abandoned in Physics...")
- The History Teacher, a.k.a., Mrs Anderson or Ando-babes ("...I have no idea what history is doing on my timetable.")
- The Maths Teacher, a.k.a., Mr Barclay ("I know my timetable says History, but I'm actually just going to sit in on your lessons...")
- The Guidance Teacher, a.k.a., I've No Idea ("Someone screwed up my timetable!")

...aaaand etc.

At least my classes are pretty much perfect (bar the whole History-Maths situation, now mostly sorted). Very much looking forward to five periods of Latin and R.M.P.S. per week.

Due to a severe case of OCD which dictates that I have to copy everything out (notes, that sort of thing) in Physics, I've already inflicted several tonnes of homework on myself in order to stay abreast of the work. I've only just started, but looking at everything I have to do, I'm beginning to wonder how long I can keep that up for.

It appears that studying 'The Great Gatsby' was well anticipated by Beth and myself. Mr Edwards (otherwise 'The legend that is an English Teacher') announced it as the very first text we will be studying/examining/peering at in minute detail under a microscope for the Higher exam ("of which only 80% of your final mark is comprised!" Yaaay... *depressed face*).

(P.S. The English class was seriously overcrowded. Forty one people sitting in today according to Mr E. Legal limit is thirty, oooooohhhh....).

The best of luck to Katie "Melonhead" who, being a jammy wee bugger, is only restarting school on what... the 25th? And has very recently (finally!) updated her blog, lots of photos included ... oh dear...
Also, so much thanks to Mrs Hubbard, who has brought me unscathed through Higher Russian, and is even now investigating possible further courses roughly equivalent to AH over and beyond the call of duty.

Well, I'm sort of in the middle of part of that pile of Physics I mentioned, so I reckon I'd better quit procrastinating (though 'tis an excellent sport) and tackle a bit more of it... wish me luck! (or don't; your call).

Trying to Catch Up.

My feet hurt from rediscovering tennis.

Where writing is concerned, I've been very busy procrastinating.

Bethie is back! Payed a visit to the pool and sauna where we were randomly accosted by a wee girl asking if we could do handstands in the water, and were we 6th year. Liked her immediately.

Theeen back to Beth's for some intensive revision... in the sun... on the trampoline... oh well.

Very jealous of the trousers.

Being super-prepared for highers (start on wednesday, aaaagggh!), we've been reading through 'The Great Gatsby'... hopefully finish going over chapter two before we start up again on wednesday.

AND I baked some killer banana cake (eat it, before it eats YOU)... eh, actually, I've already eaten it.

However, Lewis is doing even better than me in the food department. Angie, Lewis and I infiltrated David's for a Lord of the Rings film marathon... whilst Angie and David took some time out to battle with chips, Lulu and I hopped out to get him a 'proper' lumch from tesco's...

That, people, is two packs of tesco sandwiches, a tub of pasta, full pack of Doritos, two tubs of spicy-sauce-dip-stuff, two tubs of trifle (family packs), this after having consumed most of our (David's) biscuits.... the chips are mine.

That he can eat that much, and still not have to roll home, is incredibly irriatating.

I also want the T-shirt and socks, but that's just by the way.

I'm tired now, a lot to write about so maybe tomorrow... *snoozes*...

Bertie

Thanks to my exam results, I have inhereted a Flamingo.

He's from Sarah, Michael, Belinda and Honor (thanks!). People, this is Bertie. Bertie, say 'Hi'.

London Riots

Seeing this last night:

Absolutely mental. Protest my foot, I doubt half the people doing this have any notion of how it actually started, it's just an excuse to chuck stuff.

"A crowd always thinks with its sympathy, never with its reason." - William R.Alger

I realise that someone was shot, but this taking sympathy just a tad too far. It's a load of yobs having a night out, on an immense scale.

And to corrobborate my first statement, I just overheard a guy on TV say "...I doubt many of the rioters even have any idea of who Mark Duggen was...".

News Article BBC London Riots

In related new, Dodie refuses to believe me that this actually happened

We were discussing the Battle of Orgreave, in connection to protests/actions/strikes which turned violent and reasons behind them, comparing them to the current riots (the comparisons were not favourable to our riots now). Also mentioned was how people criticised police for being under/over forceful.
I have nothing against the police, and I think it is a shame that they seem to be getting so much stick recently for using more power than necessary, not that I know much about it so I'll stop there. However, I'm a bit miffed about the fact that when I remembered this photograph, and showed it to Dodie as it was connected with our discussion, she then went on to say that it was misleading and that the policeman probably wasn't about to hit that photographer. I'd like to know what else she thinks was going to happen?

Lesley Boutlon (photographer in photo) Account

A Cumulation of Thoughts

Beth introduced me to this. Just Jack- The Day I Died. Significantly more cheery than the title might suggest. 

Completely unrelated, Finiold just sent a quote I like, think it's quite funny-

"You're not drunk if you can lie of the floor without holding on."

- The Rat Pack.

I've just found this. This, ladies and gentleworms, is how I spent my primary-school years. The remaining pages are an intriuging mixture of naughts-and-crosses games, and various random signatures from people I barely know.Incredibly hardcore.

 

And I've finally seen the S6 panto (typically, I was off)! Not too bad, although it took me a while to identify the person I took to be Marge Simpson (it was the wig) as Ian Trotter (the head boy) in a dress, then in turn as Jack's mum- the production was Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack played by Jack.

Just gonna say "Thanks" to Emma, for having me round Friday evening. I can't find the photos I took on the camera! So sorry. See you all soon hopefully!

Everything normally confined to the weekend

A bit of a last-minute arrangement on thursday morning and Flora and I are off skiing at some horrible hour of the morning. Naturally, it starts to rain.
Being as organised as we are, we arrived in Edinburgh with no clue of how to get to Hillend. Fortunately, somebody happened to look up, and spot the bus timetable- particularly the section declaring '4 - Hillend via blah-blah-blah - insert time 5 minutes later here'. Problem solved. Unfortunately (and judging by the number of 'blahs' to be expected) this was not the speedy bus (we are aware of your existence *glares*). So by the time we staggered -it's still early- off at the bottom of the drive for Hillend, hunger had set in.

Can you tell she isn't a health freak?

Following a bite and a bit of a rocky start (Flo's first time on a dry slope- not that it was at that point, particularly dry =/ ) I think we got quite into it, despite the fact we could only stay an hour in order to be able to get to Gifford on time... more on that later. Definitely quite glad to have got in a spot of practise before the course next week.

On the bus back we bagged the best seats, and put our feet up;

Feet have been a recurring theme these past few days.

And Exams....

The downside to skiing that morning was that with the post on thursday came exam results. Or maybe it was a good thing, preventing us from sitting underneath and staring at the letterbox for hours, impatience, anticipation and anxiety punctuated only with the occasional fit.

Either way, I spent the morning repeatedly (blissfully) forgetting about what awaited me at home, being repeatedly (inadvertently) reminded by Flora, becoming excited/het-up/panic-striken, then struck by some other meaningful thought (oooohh, birdie!) forgetting again, only to re-undergo the whole process half an hour later.
My memory failed me to the extent that results did not cross my mind even walking casually into the drive... that is, until Flora says something along the lines of; "Oh, and you'll be able to open your results now--" *looks around but I'm already at the door like a NINJA*.

I'm haaaaappy! Who would have thought it, pessimism does work- I'm perfectly pleased with my results (once they were out of the envelope, much shaking involved...)!

When We Camped

Another ten minutes and we were rushing madly for the bus to take us to Flora's. As I was with her already and my everybody was out, it sort of made sense to go over to hers early. Holly (older sister to Flo) had been allowed a sizeable garden party, plus overnight stay for most friends in an even more sizeable tent.
Flo was now permitted the same. People were arriving at six, so it still being early in the day, Flo and I busied ourselves around the kitchen, primarily the cake bowl.

I'd like to say I contributed to actually making the cake (not just eating it after; although, Lewis, William, wow, easy on the portions!), but I think that might put people off it, so I won't (I did, I did!).

As people trickled in, we played badminton and with hula hoops (not the edible sort), then when deemed up to full strength, shifted back inside...

... to watch Harry Potter, No. 1- and munch. Needless to say, I think Lewis, William and I drove Katie nearly to distraction, debating throughout about film vs. book, mistakes, things that irritated, and quoting the film before the actual actors had a chance to get a word out. T'was fun!!

Just prior to the end of the film, Liz (William's mum) turned up and requisitioned some of us in order to take home. Ah well. Flo, Katie, Steph and I migrated OUT to the tent and proceeded to sort of not sleep for a while...

So mostly consisting of rabbit impressions...

Believe it or not, we did wake up the next day (and at a reasonably decent hour). I know, I was shocked. Although I think someone felt a bit worse for the wear...

Aww Flo!

This is becoming quite a long post. I think it has something to do with the fact that the weather outside is miserable.

I think I mentioned before that Katie was moving away *sad face*, so her mum picked her up around an hour after we'd got/packed up. Moving to Dumfries, but we will come up and visit you!!

Katie's final entrance. R.I.P, or something similar. (P.S. write, or else!)

Finn destroyed my homework

For the first time in... forgotten how long, Finn came round on Monday. Made a nice change from having to pedal up the hill to his; as well as providing a great opportunity to dig out the airgun -which I really don't use half as much as I'd like in order not to annoy the neighbours-.

Couldn't find any targets so;

I don't think I'll be handing this bit of R.M.P.S back in to Mr Woolley...

Exam results... aaaahhh!

"Scottish exam results sent early in text blunder"

Not mine. I only realized today, that they are supposed to come tomorrow! =O No sleep for me tonight. Then again, knowing my luck, mine will almost certainly come through late. I also think that now is perhaps a bit too late to panic over having done enough revision (or not)...

I fail to see what people are upset about with this; usually everything seems to come through late (or not at all). personally, this is the kind of "serious mistake" I'm quite keen on. Anyhow, no one I've spoken too having actually recieved their results early minds much.

So, everyone I've chatted to today appears to be happy with their results, which is definitely a 'Good Thing'! I'm hoping this is a positive omen. Probably not. Ah well.

Wish me luck!

So it's not really been anyone's month...

Quite relieved to finally have reached August, I think July seriously had it in for us.

First of all, Nuala's (the lovely Irish next-door neighbour) dad died. Then to top that off, whilst they're in Ireland Felix (Nuala's son) breaks his wrist. Then when Sarah, Michael, Belinda and Honor come to visit us, Honor removes her fingertip in a folding chair. About two days after her birthday, Belinda breaks her arm (they did operate) then another two days later Lyovka (the -my- wee brother) breaks -or something similar- his big toe. I must say, what with all the rest of my relations of the same generation wrapped up in various forms of banadage, I've had the distinct feeling that I can only have so much time left.

Came across this whilst reading, I think it's quite brilliant;

Anglophobia- "Fear of England or English culture, etc."

... and to think of all those terrifying English, running around just beyond the border...!

Following this I develope a casual curiosity and investigate further. This is quite an interesting website (from which I nicked the Anglophobia definition, though it's pretty much self-explanitory): The Phobia List. 

I looked through the list though, and what I find... well not odd, but a bit miffing, is that it doesn't by any means list names for phobias of every country. Are the English in some way particularly scary?

Perhaps it's all that tea...

And I've been doing some further decorating, finally shifting the Lava Lamp in... 

  

So it's useful to have a brother with relatively similar taste in music. Naturally, mine is better. However, thanks to Lyovik, I've come across this;