Study (or lack of)

The S330 set book (which I had to pay £26 for), arrived this morning.



It looks very interesting (contents listed on here), much of which is quite familiar from past courses - but when will I get around to studying it? I suppose it might help if I got off my bum and got on with something, but it's very difficult when the hub's home from work. How on Earth will I manage when he's retired permanent??

I think that the maths (MU120) is going to have to take a very back seat from now - not that it wasn't already! I MUST get on with it though!

12:23pm

The Flying Spaghetti Monster and I

Thank goodness somebody else shares my lack of humour on this! (See SciAm Blog). What is the point in making fun of peoples' religious beliefs? Evolution can be pretty funny too!!! (Especially when you include a picture of chimps holding hands, in your ECA, and get a distinction for it! :))



Could Noodly perhaps play for Everton, in a striker capacity? There's certainly a vacancy .... (another nightmare against Liverpool - although we did have 2 men sent off - and our goal was much better than any of the ones Liverpool produced!)

Another interesting opinion on the SciAm blog, is on the New Breed of Nuclear Reactors piece which appeared in the Scientific American a couple of weeks back.

12:13pm

Shopping

Yesterday we were very busy shopping. We didn't buy anything - but we thought a lot and have a long list! On that list are:

stair carpet (can't make up our minds which colour)
fences (can't make up our minds what price to pay)
office storage bits (can't make up our minds whether we actually need this or not)
sofas (we do NEED this - but which colour?)



and a new bathroom!

Well, we don't NEED one as such - but one would be very nice - especially as the bath we have our eye on is a nice short one, which I could lay out in without fear of drowning!



11:51

Boxing Day Massacre

Fearing alcoholic poisoning from the cherry liqueurs, and in need of escape from (seemingly) wall-to-wall football, we went onto the Moors yesterday afternoon. It was bright, but verrrrry cold.





On our return, we had cold turkey and cheese, followed by the last of the trifle. I'm not sure then, which was the more horrific, watching Everton lose 4-0 at Villa (although the first goal - the only goal I actually saw - was a CHEAT goal) or the Cruise edition of War of the Worlds, which we watched on DVD. And if the tripod-people had buried their things millions of years before humans evolved, how did they know that humans would be there in the future, let alone that they would like their blood??



11:03am

Christmas on the telly

Midnight mass from Gloucester Cathedral - The Wizard of Oz - Queen's speech (shocking green suit). It was all there.

Late afternoon we chose to watch the DVD of Charlie. (Great fun!) "Though shalt not worship false idols", which, of course, in this case, was chocolate (!)




We continued, with the Dr Who Christmas Special - whirling, attacking Christmas trees, machine-gun touting santas, the rejuvenating qualities of tea. More great fun! (Although I still rather wish Christopher Ecclestone had continued in the role.)



And then there was Eastenders. A massive turkey in the bath, tears, sickness, furious arguments, (surprising) pregnancy (what a pity *SPOILER* Dennis gets shot soon), LOVE, Love, love. Alfie and Kat - bare feet in the snow, furry dice and away to drive through the driftwood and desert of the western USA. (Although I think that Alfie is in panto right now.)



I finished the day by reading the first piece of writing in the 2005 "Best American Science and Nature Writing" collection. "My God Problem - And Theirs", by Natalie Angier. Interesting. And highly topical. Today, the Times printed the article "Chimps with everything: a ridiculous war", which is, of course, more on the ID, creationism debate (if it is a debate). When searching, on the internet, for some information on Natalie Angier, I came across "The Positive Atheism's Big List of Quotations" Though I only browsed, quickly, there is some interesting reading there. But WHY do both sides of the 'argument' insist on going to such huge lengths to seemingly try to justify their beliefs; non-beliefs? It is as though they have little faith in their own convictions.

Later, Everton ....

Welcome Celtic Cow

The latest addition to the house of the peculiar!! She is a Cow Parade Cow!

Christmas Day dawned sunny and cold ... bacon and egg have been consumed, followed by cherry liquer chocolate - the turkey is in the oven ("how long do sprouts take?"). The books (ranging from Richard and Judy 'How to get published' competition winners, to the Oxford Dictionary of Earth Science (how I'm going to need that!)to Teach Yourself Japanese. And I have a Science Museum globe clock - which you whirl around to give you the times throughout the world! Cool!



Perfume, knickers, jumper, necklace, National Geographic diary, compact mirror, nightie, glace fruits, Sanctuary toiletries and a faux fur wrap thing to twirl across my neck! From Canada, a Terry Fox Coin Collector Card, from the Royal Canadian Mint and a lovely garden Tic Tac Toe in the form of a sunflower with butterfly and ladybird playing pieces.

How to fit in The War of the Worlds and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Depp xx) around the Christmas Eastenders and Dr Who, eh?


MERRY CHRISTMAS!

12:59pm

I wish I knew....

14:36

.... what I was doing!!


No sooner has the ink dried on my degree certificate, than I'm playing around with next year's courses! Yesterday, I registered for S330 - Oceanology - which, EVERYBODY knows, is a rather difficult course! So, why did I do it? I thought I might be bored .... Well, reading through the assignment booklet for SXG390, I thought, "hello, this is DULL" and promptly decided that registering for ANOTHER course would solve that!! Well, too late now - but stand by for an early cancellation of the oceanography course!

I'm confused, actually. I don't know what I want to do. I'm REALLY HAPPY to have successfully completed my degree - and I'm not even sure that I want (certainly I don't need) the honours bit. I feel almost like packing the whole thing up and having at least a year's rest. But then, what would I do?

Must be Christmas addling my head. Off to N&N's this evening for tea and pressies!!