Ho Ho Ho said Grandfather Time

We survived Christmas, and didn't poison anyone. We cooked up a damn good Christmas dinner - tasty stuff. Hard work, actually got blisters on my fingers from chopping and peeling! Both families got on well, though - we seem to be good lynchpins. After the meal we all had a bash on the Wii Fit, good fun - everyone had some kind of hidden talent...Pat (Raine's mum) needs to take up snowboarding.

We woke up at my house on Christmas Day, having been out on Christmas Eve. Good night out in the 'Pool, the usual haunts...We sampled the new cocktail bar at The Blue Room, slush cocktails - Sex on The Beach and Daiquiris as a slush puppy = genius. The Tache was a shadow of its former self, except on the street outside - where all the under age people who usually populate it were. They have a fancy new machine to check everyone's ID, which means nearly no one gets in. We got in there (we're old, the machine confirmed), just before midnight, and there were a handful of people in there. There must have been a 100 or more milling around outside. Damn you Gordon Brown - that's what middle class kids do in Blackpool, emo/mini-mosher/goth themselves out, realising there are many other freaks out there; poor young things now-a-days will look back to the sidewalks, and Red Bull/White Lightening of their teenage years...that can't be good.

After opening presents with my parents we went to Raine's house, and sat around the tree opening presents with Pat, Gordon and Lindsay (and Jonny dressed as Father Christmas Cabbage Patch Kid). I got Raine a pretty much carbon, scale copy of Austin:



Although I had fun I felt like shit on Christmas Day, and slept for about 40 hours over the next two days, I finally properly woke up, on Sunday, with excruitating head pain. Turns out I have Sinusitis. I'd never had it before, I'd heard about it, and been kinda of sympathetic when I heard people had it - realised it must hurt a bit. Well, anyone who gets it now will get my full sympathy, and lots of grapes - it bloody wrecks! I was yelping with pain just lifting my head 10 degrees to take a drink and antibiotics. Bloody hell! Leaving the bed brought tears to my eyes, literally - big fat tears. Thank God the antibiotics (and a lot of pain killers) are kicking in.

New Years Eve, we're back in Galgate. We were going to a local Tapas restaurant, until we rang up to book and were told it's £35 person tonight - forget that! We're celebrating several new years at home now - we started with Australia at 1pm, and we're on China now. If you remember our American election night, you can envision our trip to the supermarket...spring rolls (there is some poetic licence - celebrating chinese new year now...), samosas, sake, etc etc...who knew you could get Thai beer!? Stay tuned for the review.

Santa Con and other such mayhemic adventures

Last weekend we went to London for the much anticipated Santa Con. Basically this = dressing as santa

and 'running' around London...one of our friends thought we literally ran (for charity or some other noble reason), oh how we laughed... Really we ambled between notable sights: The Tate Modern, the Underground, HMS Belfast, the odd church, Trafalgar Square (to 'sing' alternative carols) and one or two (or three) pubs. Generally we spread festive cheer, and baffled people, by parading our 1000 santa adorned selves through the streets.

In London we stayed in the most super duper hostel there is: Palmer's Lodge, in Swiss Cottage. We shared a dorm room, but had our own double bed to snuggle up in. With our own light, curtains and power supply:

Now we have found this splendiferous place we will return to London, imminently, to culture our northern selves up with some theatre.

We managed to catch "W" in London. It's a great film, very funny for all the wrong reasons (because it's true). We also had Malaysian food with Paul - great evening. A wonderful prelude to our February Belfast trip.

Tis now the University holidays, and I have a very long essay to write (on Seventh Day Adventists and same sex marriage), and a dissertation to begin. I also need to start applying for my PhD and funding. Whether I do any of this before the end of the holidays remains to be seen... I have wonderful intentions, but ideas are so much more appealing than reality.

I have 7 people to cook Christmas dinner for, on Christmas Day - I am cooking for both sets of parents, and Raine's sister. "Why?" you ask...that is a long story I won't bore you with, but watch this space for a report. Presuming we survive.

Infinity Crossfire

OK, so Raine got a new computer, but it did not happen without a few hitches. We ordered Infinity from Cyberpowersystems...3 days later she's ready to ship. Wednesday = a knock on the door. A *very* big box arrives:



Out comes Infinity:





but all is not well - she won't light up, and her enormous graphics card is wonky...several phone calls later, it turns out her graphics card has snapped her mother board:



Either Raine waits another week, or infinity goes back in her box, into our car, and 150 miles North East to Newcastle (where she's just come from):



We end up in a really grotty hotel, with 'self cleaning' toilets (ie it sprays the floor every time someone leaves, and so is always soaking) and carpets which they are waiting to self hoover, but which have yet to do so:



Next morning we leave the hotel at first light, and go to Cyberpower HQ with infinity:



We then go and entertain outselves in the nearby Metro Centre, where we magically find a 'Wii Fit' with balance board. After this amazing piece of luck we get a phone call to say Infinity's all better. We go and pick her up. Drive (very carefully!) home, make a significant mess while unpacking, and plug her in:



Lights, graphics, action!

And that is the story of Infinity Crossfire.

Obama, Obama, Obama!!!

Last night we watched that great moment - Obama elected, so amazing, so wonderful. His speech, at 5am our time, was just incredibly perfect - every word of it. Everyone's worried he won't live up to his potential, but I think if he continues to work outside the Washington box he can't fail...even if things don't go smoothly he's forging a new path, and that has to be a success.

Raine and I stayed up through the night with the help of a 100% American diet! We went to ASDA early in the evening (ASDA Walmart - yeah!), and were determined to buy all American themed food. We should have been filmed, we spent over half an hour criss crossing the aisles, to the cries of - "that's American," and "that could work." We came back with Hot Dogs, Philideplphia (soft cheese), bagels, Budweiser, French's mustard, and Ben and Jerry's ice cream...never has there been a more ridiculously stereotyped shopping basket, but that's what we were aiming for, and I think it was an outright success. We also added a load of energy drinks, we got all the cheap Red Bull imitations, so we could conduct a scientific test on them - turns out a 22p one called 'Emerge' is best - I realise that's the most important fact in this blog;-)

So, to a new world order, I toast you with a bagel and a Bud...

Cold wind's a blowin'

It's been so, so cold. The weather's turned - from the mediocre, nothing to write home about, to icy winds, frost and snow. Not what we usually get in October - it's meant to be raining. I think it rained itself out during the summer, now it's decided winter should come early. It's not so bad, it's better than the rain, except occasionally the cold sun is punctuated with heavy, icy, showers - and by heavy showers we're talking inches and inches of rain, which flood unsuspecting towns.

We're very excited about the upcoming American election. I'm planning a marathon night, watching it all, until Obama is crowned by the will of the people. I stayed up on the night of the Bush vs Gore election, and cried when it seemed Bush has gotten in (of course it eventually took days for the final confirmation, but I fell asleep when it seemed he'd won). I wish, 8 years later, I could say I was wrong to cry - a silly 17 year old, but as we all know there's more the cry about now, more than anything I was imagining then. Of course we're impotent here, and it's terrifying to think it might all be snatched away, but I think history's going to be made, in the right way.

I'm still below my massive pile of books, but my MA is good, I'm still loving it - even more than I thought I would. Raine's job's going ok, and we're able to plan trips, and generally have a life! We're off to London in December, and I have an idea in the back of my head, about making it to Texas for a week over the first 5 days of the Kerrville Festival, but we'll see. Belfast in February, for the Belfast Nashville Festival, is something I've promised my dad - he's taken us for the last two years, so this is going to be our treat for him.

I've found a wonderful local produce supermarket, it's just opened in a re-designed local garden centre. Tonight I'm making a casserole, with their stuff - it's ages since I've made a casserole, because I just couldn't find decent meat. I've make red wine sauce from scratch for the first time, I'm hoping it'll be a hell of a lot nice than the ready made stuff, and it uses some of the mountain of wine we were given at the wedding! After tea I'm taking Raine up to University, there's a 'Cider Festival' at Grad Bar, and she has long suffered through my Real Ale Festivals (she doesn't like Real Ale, but loves cider, especially strange cider - she recently found Toffee Apple Cider).

Honeymoons, jobs and studies

I'm shamefully bad at posting, aren't I!? Well, we're now hitched, and struggle to think of how to introduce each other - 'wife' gets strange looks, 'partner' is just a bit icky, and 'girlfriend' doesn't indicate that we're now each other's ball and chain;-) The wedding ceremony was really lovely - the guy who conducted it was really cool - all laid back and funny. The reception was wonderful - exactly what we wanted (except it had to be moved in doors because the weather had been so bad the ground was water logged, so it was BBQ food, rather than BBQ'd food!), but the food was excellent, and we had just the right mix of people.

The honeymoon was brilliant, we were really glad we went to Newquay - it's always good to go back there, and it's such a big part of our history together. We really picked up the surfing bug, Raine was great - she managed to stand up and everything. We're going to go back a couple of times next year, try and get surfing mastered. We had some great meals out, at all our favourite places. We visited St. Ives, Truro and The Eden Project. Our hotel was brilliant, we were on the top floor of Abreakaway's Space Pod complex - we got our own fridge and microwave in the room, which came in really handy. I was the only driver throughout the holiday, because we hired a car, and the driver had to be over 25; I became famous for my 'granny' driving, because I didn't want to loose the £100 excess. Then, midway through the week we came out to the hotel car park, and in the night someone had stolen our wing mirror - it'd been clean broken off! One theory is that I became so insane with the ultra safe driving I sleep walked out and broke it off myself.

When we got back from the honeymoon we were involved in a serious car crash. In the process of saving my life poor little Austin was totally written off:-( Miraculously Raine walked away with just one cut - where her belt had dug into her. As the passenger (the other car hit the passenger side) I took the bulk of the impact, I used up some major luck, by walking away with just a broken nose, some cuts and some major brusing. Four weeks later I'm still sore, but I feel so lucky. We now have a VW Polo, it's red, of course - all my cars are red (not because I'll only buy red cars, but because the right car, at the right time, is always red)...he's a reliable, sturdy chap, who we've named Claus, he speaks only German. We're about to embark on building a model Austin Mini, in which Austin's soul will live in.

My MA course started last week. It's brilliant - I'm really enjoying the courses, and talks, it's great being part of the department as a Postgraduate - it's a great environment. The course is majorly intense, I have work and reading coming out of my ear's, but it's all good.

Raine also started her new job last week. It's a standard office job, but it's going well, and it's nice to know where the next meal's coming from, and how we're going to pay the bills! We have evenings and weekends together, and much of them have been spent playing on our new Wii - i.e. dancing round the bedroom like mad persons, 'playing' sports, or raiding tombs. We're saving up for a Wii Fit, so we might expand our potential for bedroom prancing.

Tomorrow is the end of an era - The Tache, the rock club in Blackpool that Raine and I both went to when we were younger (before we met each other, but at the same time) is closing down. It's the oldest club in Blackpool, it was there when our parents went out (though my parents were too hip, and mainstream, to ever darken its door!). It's being forced to close because of redevelopment in the area, and to be fair it is an eyesaw (inside and out). There are so many rumours about the exact closing date, if it's not tomororw it's very soon, so for us it'll be our final night there - we're off to take pictures, and say goodbye. I doubt we'll go to the new incarnation, it's one of those places you go to as a disaffected kid (and if you don't grow out of it, as some people we know haven't, there's something wrong with you!), but we want to say goodbye.

Next Monday we'll also be saying goodbye to my uncle Bert, who passed away on Sunday. He was a wonderful man, with the most amazing stories - he waterproofed tanks for the Dunkirk landing, and then rode a motorbike across the beach at Dunkirk, with enemies firing at him. At the end of the war he rode through Germany, and into Concentration Camps as they were being opened. He wrote a book on his experiences: From 'Lorry Wheels to Tank Tracks', and he would never forgive me if I didn't say that you should contact me if you'd like a copy - at £3.

Celebration!

I’ve got my Masters Arts Council funding!!! Tuition fees paid, and a generous maintenance grant for the 12 months from October. Now I’ve got this I can be fairly confident that my Doctoral studies will be funded. It’s so amazing, it looks like I’m going to have my dream career – it’s all in my hands now. It also means that we’re lifted off the poverty line – I was seriously getting concerned that we wouldn’t be able to afford heating in winter. I now have to decide what I’m doing job wise, you’re not supposed to have any part time work while in receipt of the award. Part time work keeps me sane, though, so I’ll have to do some thinking…it’s not a bad position to be in, though – deciding whether I can do a job for fun.

We met up with my old friend: Mark, on Saturday. Raine and he have never met - I haven’t seen him for about 4 years, because he goes travelling for years at a time (he lives off money from two flats he rents out in Blackpool, and part time jobs around the world), but he’s back in Blackpool for a while. Raine and I met up with him and his boyfriend, and it went really well…so well, in fact, that he and Tim are coming to the wedding! I’m really pleased, Mark’s one of the good guys, and his travel stories are wonderful.

Unbelievably the weather has actually gotten worse since my last entry. It’s been so dark all day – it looks like late evening, and there’s constant rain. Getting out of bed was as hard as winter mornings – it seemed like it wasn’t light yet. I’m trying to convince myself it’s getting all the horribleness out of the way before next week…I think I might be kidding myself, though. We have got a honeymoon plan B, though – we’ve bought several cases of beer and cider;-) There’s not a great deal to do in Newquay when the weather’s crap. Thankfully this year we’ll have a TV in the room, but it’s not really an ideal holiday activity.

Exs and Weddings

We’re really hoping the weather cheers up for next month, it’s been so relentlessly awful. If it rains on the wedding day it’s not as bad as it raining the entire week we’re on holiday. It’s typical really, everyone’s staying at home this year, because the economy is so screwed, and it’s the wettest summer since 1912. UK tourism’s going to take even more of a hammering when the economy turns around…though I guess that’s not going to happen any time soon, so it’ll have next summer to redeem itself!

The wedding’s all ready to roll – less than two weeks to go. We finalised everything at The Plough, it’s looking good. Should be exactly what we want – a chilled out BBQ. I’m so happy my family aren’t coming – it’s going to be so much more relaxed.

We went to see Hellboy 2. Visually it was first class, but clearly they forgot to write a story. I couldn’t believe it when it ended, I felt short changed. I want to write to the production company and ask for my money back. We don’t have much cash, and we chose to go there, instead of to a one off film at The Dukes – bah!

Raine’s ex-boyfriend called this morning. They split up almost four years ago. They used to go to Leeds Festival each year. He just called saying his fiancé can now not go to Leeds Festival, would Raine like to go, “just like old times.” Poor bloke…poor fiancé… I bet she has no idea she can’t go. It’s a valiant effort, one last shot, two weeks before the wedding. Bless him, he’s never really given up on her. When Raine and I went to Leeds together, two years ago, he searched us out, amongst the near 100 000 people – we were actively making sure he didn’t find us, and he still did…he then nearly set me alight. Thankfully Chris called out, “Riley!” before my shorts went up in flames…the marshalls then came running over, to put the fire out. We didn’t pay him a great deal of attention, and he left that night (girlfriend (the now fiancé) in tow), it was later confirmed they’d left because of “the one thing they always argue about”: Raine. We see him occasionally, at the night club he and Raine met in – he still goes there every week. We can’t really mock him, because it’s so tragic now. I mean obviously I think Raine’s wonderful, but if she split up with me, I’d like to think I’d get myself over it in 4 years, and have a little self respect/respect for my future partners.

We’re going to Blackpool this weekend – finally Raine and I have two days off together. An old friend, who I used to work with, is back from his travels. Raine’s never met him. He owns a house in Blackpool, which he rents out, and off the rent money he travels all over the world. Every few years he comes home, and works at HMV, to top up his funds. He’s going to make us very jealous, talking about all the places he’s been, and the places he’s going – he’s off again in January.

Wedding blues

Turns out non of my family (except my parents, of course) are coming to the wedding. Mostly they’ve supplied flimsy excuses, but some haven’t replied at all. I think it’s time to draw a line under my relationship with them. I thought we’d gotten past some issues (even if they were still a little unsure of how to treat us), but we’ve only had one congratulations. I’m not going to spend time with people who are clearly homophobic, to the point of not recognising Raine and me as a couple. This makes our wedding party tiny, since we decided to invite only close friends and family – we have 12 people, including ourselves! We have to speak to our reception hosts, to check that they’re going to be ok going ahead with so few people.

We’re all booked for our honeymoon in Newquay. We’re going for a week, and we can’t wait! We’ve got a great hotel booked. We’ll be having some surfing lessons. Got quite a few things planned, including some surprises for Raine – because it’s her birthday on the day we get married, and I don’t want her to feel like she hasn’t had a birthday (although what could possibly be a better present than me?;-)).

I’m back working full time at LUSU (the Students’ Union). Julie, my boss, has six weeks off in the summer, so I have her job. It’s ok, can be a little dull at times – there’s not that much going on in the summer, but when it comes down to it I do really enjoy it, and I’m lucky to have it. I’ll be leaving in September, though. I’ve been offered a job in the library, it’s a lot better paid, and the conditions compared to LUSU are incomparable – I mean, I get holidays, and sick pay! Plus, you know, I get to work in a library – I love libraries. When I saw ‘Sex and The City’ the movie, and Carrie was going to get married in the library I was sold…unfortunately I don’t think any libraries round here are grand, or have a marriage license...

I’ve been trying to pick my MA courses. There’s not so much I want to take in the RS department, but I’ve found a few courses elsewhere to take. There’s a politics course, a sociology one, and a linguistics one. I’ll have to pick two out of the three, I’ll probably drop the linguistics one…although it sounds ideal (it’s about how different genders, ethnicities and classes interpret and understand language) the Linguistics Department seem to be uncertain about my eligibility.

A couple of weeks ago we went to Milton Keynes with my dad. We met up with Paul, and went to see Nanci Griffith. Great show. Hopefully we’ll all be going to Belfast in February, for the Belfast/Nashville festival. Always good fun, and the shows are great.

Extremes

A week or so ago Raine and I found out that our lecturer: Paul Fletcher, died. He was a great influence on the RS department, and everyone he met. In February (the leap year day) he had his first child. He was a young guy. It makes so little sense, it's unbelievable for everyone. We spoke to him just a few weeks ago. He will never be forgotten. He believed in me, and he acted as a reference for my MA applications, that will never be forgotten.

This has hit me on a very personal level. I can't explain it properly, Raine doesn't understand it. It happens to coincide with a time when I've been thinking about the 'big' issues...but this isn't the time for narcissism. What I'm pulling out of it all is the importance of appreciating the now, I think that's the greatest thing we can do, in memory.

The future

Raine and I went down to Oxford at the start of this week. I was meeting with Peter Clarke, someone I'd love to be my PhD supervisor. He was the most wonderful man, if I invented a supervisor he wouldn't be as perfect. We chatted for over two hours, he was so open, and gave me so many things to think about. We met at Wolfson College (the picture's of its main area, and its punt harbour), where he's a fellow, and where I want to apply. It was a beautiful place, it's a Graduate only college, so there should be plenty of like minded people. Although it's a little out of the city, it's within easy walking/cycling distance.

I'm going to apply to Oxford in September, but I have to keep my options open - I can't do anything unless I can get funding, and the competition at Oxford might make it impossible. I've found someone at Manchester University who I'm going to talk to, he seems to supervise the area I want to work in (Islam and politics in Britain). Manchester, at the moment is my second choice. Basically we want to get out of Lancaster, it's just too small for us, and petrol prices (£6 a gallon) mean we rarely get to leave. Realistically though Lancaster might end up being the home of my PhD, if I establish links with a local Islamic community during my MA research it will be hard to justify a move down south. Also, the department, and my current supervisor, are currently undertaking a Home Office funded research project in an overlapping area.

Yesterday we booked the wedding, and ordered the rings. The wedding will be at 2.30 on September 4th (Raine's birthday). The rings are made by Gina Frost, and they're made of bands of different coloured metals - red gold, yellow gold, titanium. They're very us, and we're excited about getting them - they should be ready in 3 - 4 weeks. We're currently trying to organise the reception, and the honeymoon. It looks increasingly like we'll be going to Newquay for the honeymoon - we don't have enough cash to go further afield. I think we're going to spend the week learning to surf. Hopefully at Christmas I'll have my grant and we'll be able to go abroad. As for the reception, we're really struggling to find somewhere - everything aimed specifically at weddings is extortionately priced. It's not something we want to spend a lot of money on. Ideally we'll hire part of a restaurant, and people will pay for their own meal.

I'm getting fit at the moment. I've joined the uni gym this week, I'm going swimming several times a week. I'm also using the exercise bike everyday, building up my distance and time. I'm going to be trim Bean by the autumn.

Bikes

Raine got me a bike for my birthday/our anniversary - my first ever bike, and from Toys R Us no less - it was my childhood dream to get a bike from Toys R Us. What a bike it is - it isn't a kids one (despite the shop), it's red with double suspension. Bikes have gone up in price by so much, I guess because people are cycling more because of the price of petrol. This one was half price - £100, instead of £200. You should have seen us trying to fit the thing in the back of the mini. Amazingly we managed it in the end. It's worth it, though. I think it's the best birthday present I've ever had! Raine's going to get her bike brought up here, from Blackpool, and we'll cycle down the canal into town together.

Today we dropped into uni, to get a discounted paper. We pulled up by the bins, and sat there was an exercise bike. Having practice at getting bike shaped objects into the mini proved helpful - it was a much quicker exercise than the Toys R Us display. It's now in the living room, and I'm going to use it everyday. It's great at the end of the academic year, all the rich people move out, and they just leave things round the bins. Last year we found a big TV, which we're still using as our main TV.

My fitness kick is all kitted out now - I'm going to cycle to work; use the exercise bike while we watch TV; and I have a swimming hat to keep my dreadies dry, so I can go to the pool at Uni a few times a week.

We're off to Oxford tomorrow. On Monday I'm meeting with the Professor I'd like to be my PhD supervisor. I'm trying to keep the nerves in check. Mostly I'm just looking forward to it, I'll be meeting him in the college I'm applying to: Wolfson. Tomorrow, when we get to Oxford, we'll be going to Browns for Sunday dinner with a friend. Can't wait:-)

Update

I got a First! Obviously I'm ecstatic, I was so nervous before I found out. The results were posted up on the wall, at midday, in some sort of nod to archaic tradition. I arrived a little late, and people congratulated me, not knowing I hadn't been down to look yet. Once I confirmed it, at the wall, I was little choaked up, so I was given wine by one of my tutors... Raine and my dad were there, I called round all the other key people.

Results day was also my birthday - made for a big celebration. We went to Blackpool. When you have very little cash there's not much to do out here. My parents took us out for a meal - we went to West Coast, and had some really good food. Then we met up with some friends and had a classic night out, everything went well. We stumbled home as it was getting light.

Friday was our anniversary. We don't celebrate traditional anniversaries, instead it was our 1000th day together - with not a day apart! We had a quiet night in, with a chinese and trashy TV. This was also the day our engagement was made official, though everyone seems to know. For a while no one could tell if we were kidding about the wedding or not, but I can confirm we're serious. The wedding day is September 4th (Raine's birthday), we're going to have a big party. We've found a really unqiue ring - we'll both have the same pattern. It's made of several bands of different metals: red gold, yellow gold, titanium, silver. We have to order them soon, so they'll be ready for the day. I have the best shirt in the world to wear, no one even try to upstage this shirt...it's not possible.

Freedom

I made it to the end of my degree. I'm in the situation where I have to keep pinching myself. It's very strange. I think it's hard to dwell on it, it's not really an end, because I'm hoping to still be at Lancaster next year, doing my MA. I'm very happy, though. My exams went well. The questions I wanted came up. They were eventful, I had a broken right elbow (my writing arm). I got extra time, and the adrenaline got me through. Near the end of my final exam the fire alarm went off, and we all had to go outside for 10 minutes. It was strange, we weren't asked not to talk, so we were all milling together, with the tutors. We didn't talk about the exam, though - finals aren't something you want to mess up!

Raine and I have tried to kick back and relax. We had some people over, and had a chill out party. We've been hoping to go camping, but right on cue the weather turned - it's been generally awful since my final exam! It was so nice before hand, and I repeatedly asserted that the weather would turn bad as soon as I finished. It's not so funny now... I did manage to have a bike riding lesson at the end of last week. I managed to go about a mile, which I think is a fair attempt.

I'm trying to pick up lots of hours at work, I had to miss a couple of weeks, because of my arm, so our funds are a little low. I'm being entered into a national competition: 'Student Employee of the Year', which was obviously lovely news. I love my job, so it's nice to see that it's reflected in my work.

I also got another job, to fit around my 6 week Info Desk take over (I run it while the boss is on holiday). I'm going to be a supervisor, checking the rooms on campus. I'm chuffed I got the supervisor role - means an extra £1.30 an hour, and obviously it's great experience.

This weekend Paul's coming to visit. We're looking forward to seeing him. He hasn't been to the house yet. We last saw him in September. We have a few things planned.

Playing catch-up with the (cyber world) family

I apologise. It's been busy. You do stuff, and then suddenly there's too much to update on, so this is going to be a greatest hits type thing.

At Easter Raine and I went away, for one night to an amazing, otherworldly place: La Rosa (http://www.larosa.co.uk/). It's a campsite, filled with gypsy caravans and all things magical. Each van is themed. Ours was a wooden van, with a wood burning stove. A family of travellers live in there, before it came to La Rosa, and it was meant to reflect this - lots of books and little trinkets. A double bed was raised up, and hidden away at one end, at the other there was a kitchen. We had a meal provided by the owners, it was great - soup, cheese, bread, strawberries, heavenly fairy cakes. Unfortunately it rained quite a bit while we were there, so we didn't get to explore too much. We're going back in the summer, though.

Exciting news on the Uni front. My MA funding application got through the University (which is the most competitive part, I'm told). Still got to get through the Arts Council, but it's there. I finish my BA a week on Wednesday. Holding it together, had a blip midweek - really freaked out, but back together now.

Chris is gone:-D We had two parties to celebrate his leaving. He's been gone a month now, and the house is transformed (happy, clean, energy efficient). Loving living here and on our own - we never want to share again, we've had too many nightmares. We had a major shuffle round, we now have a study/double guest room on the middle floor. I managed to get a double futon/sofa bunk bed from Freecycle (a wonderful Yahoo family of groups - you sign up to your local one, and individuals send messages offering household items to a good home), which is perfect for the room.

We've started brewing our own beer. The plan is that it'll be ready in time for the Champion's League Final (Manchester United vs. Chelsea). Currently it's in the primary fermentation stage, and the whole house has a faint smell of beer, which is (perhaps worryingly) not entirely unpleasant.

Austin's reprieve

Our lives' have become mini infused. We couldn't give Austin (our 1985 Mini) up. We were close to tears every time we locked her up. Something had to give, because we can't afford to run two cars, so the Fiat has gone...well, nearly gone, we're waiting for the buyer's cheque to clear. One condition underpins our decision to keep her - for the next year she's going to be our primary hobby. She now has her own fund. Today we bought tools. We also went to pick up some free seats for her! I've joined a forum for mini enthusiasts, this guy was giving away some seats from a stripped mini. Austin needs seats - her front ones have no headrests, and so we gamble with whiplash every time we ride, and the covers on her backseats are torn to shreds. When the guy opened up his industrial sized garage we were greeted by ten or so minis in various states. A few guys share a garage and do up minis of all types in their spare time. It's great, we'd love to find something like that a little closer to home. At the moment we don't even have a drive way, so we're going to have to snatch space here and there. I'll put pics of Austin's progress here and on flickr.

Last weekend we went to a very cool party. Up in town, with some religious studies hippy types (there's no other decent religious studies type;-)), and their friends. Had some very fine weed to smoke, hopefully getting some of our own soon. It was the nicest smoke I've had in a long time. It was a great people watching party. There was a guitar being passed around, some guy sang a real catchy song about seals (!), everyone had to make seal noises at appropriate times. Another guy had a tattoo which I loved, along the length of his forearm it said "You can't buy life." I'm so tempted to get it myself, but I think it'd be too intrusive. I love my tattoo, but it's subtle, and easily concealed. Tattoo guy offered us a crack pipe, obviously we didn't try it, but I like to be able to say I was offered a crack pipe;-)

Term finished on Thursday. Which means this week is my last week of lessons as an Undergraduate. I had my MA application to Lancaster accepted, just have to wait forever to hear about funding now. I plan to self fund somehow, if there's no other way, which will probably mean working part time, and studying part time over two years. It's good not to be leaving. I've been given my summer job again - which seriously rocks, it's a great job: running the JobShop and Info Desk at the Students' Union while the manager is on holiday (she takes six weeks off in the summer). LUSU's my home from home, I don't think I could be released into the wild of monkey work anymore.

I finished 'The Time Traveller's Wife'. Managed not to cry...just. The search is on for something as good now. Suggestions...?

Catch up

I figure it's time to update. To prove that I'm still alive/not incarcerated for killing Chris.

We went to Belfast a couple of weeks ago. We stayed a couple of nights, and went to two concerts. The first was Nanci Griffith, playing with just a guitarist. Great show - Nanci was totally up for it, she sang for ages, and came back for three encores. Seemed really happy to see me up front, too. The second show was opened by Minton Sparks. My dad was a Minton Sparks fan before the gig, I'd never heard her. She blew my socks off, she's stunning - songwriter, actress, storyteller, poet, all rolled into one. Check her out! The main show was Nanci Griffith, Charlie McGettigan and Tony Kerr singing in the round. Great gig, once again. Makes me happy to go back to my youth - a Nanci Griffith concert's got a special place in my heart...Raine says I turn into a different person just before, and during, a Nanci show - I think a 12 year old leaps out of me. Nanci's a great woman. She had a big smile for myself and Raine, she seemed really happy to see us still together. Raine made a good point - it must be interesting from her point of view, she sees these snapshots of me, she's known me for over half my life, but she sees me fleetingly every year or so. I wish I had a picture of myself at every Nanci Griffith show.

In the day time we wandered around. We went up to Queens University, visited the Botanic Gardens. We took some pictures, as inspiration for the house Raine and I want to build - Raine's always wanted to live in a house with a greenhouse at its centre, and I plan to make it come true for her one day. We pick up ideas on our travels. We did a little window shopping. My only indulgence was shoes, because my feet were ripped to shreds by the ones I'd taken with me. Raine says my new shoes are Emo-ified, because they have skulls on them. Other than the skulls (which are only little, and generally hidden by trousers) I like them...but mainly, it has to be said, I went for them because they were cheap and comfortable...they're more a parody of what I'd usually go for. It didn't help my case when, the day after I'd bought them, we saw a 13 year old boy walking around in an identical pair.

Before our flight home Raine, my dad and I went to the cinema. We decided it'd be a long day in the rain if we didn't find something to do. There wasn't much on, so we settled on 'Juno'. It's not a film I would have seen in any other circumstances, but it was actually pretty good. Strange premise: teen pregnancy, but it did its subject justice, really. It was entertaining, and not too Hollywood - no saccharin finish.

I've just about finished applying for my MA, so we'll see how it goes. I think I'll definitely be going ahead with it, even if I have to fund it myself - working part time, and studying part time.

It's Islam Awareness Week at the University. They're holding a series of talks. Tonight we went on one, asking whether Shar'iah Law could be introduced to the UK. Very interesting - and topical of course, after the hot water poor Rowan Williams has found himself in. I wholeheartedly agree that Shar'iah Law, in regards to personal and private matters: marriage, birth, inheritence etc, can and should be allowed. The uproar over Rowan Williams' comments serves only to highlight the latent racism which is rife in this country.

I'm reading 'The Time Traveler's Wife' at the moment. I'm enjoying it. I'm worried about the direction it's going to take, though. People see me reading it, and say things like, "Oh, I loved that book, but it made me cry." It has yet to imply that it plans to make me cry, but I'm trying to undo the fondness I've developed for the leading characters, lest some disaster befall them on the next page.

Pleasure beach

We went to the Pleasure Beach (theme park) yesterday. They have a cheap deal on unlimited ride wrist bands every weekend until Easter. We had a really fun day. Spent a lot of time queueing, though - it was packed. We're going to go back midweek sometime, before the schools break up for summer, because we didn't get on everything we wanted to. They have a new ride: Infusion, which is hardcore, it's entirely over water, you dangle down, and flip over twists and turns. We really wanted to try it, but the queue looked well over an hour long, and we'd already waited about 45 minutes to get on the Big One...when the Big One was built it was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world.

On Sunday night we cooked a meal for Raine's family. It went really well, good food and good company - we got to spend time with Lindsay's new boyfriend: Joe. He seems like a great guy.

Busy few days ahead here in Lancaster, then we're off to Belfast, where we're seeing Nanci Griffith.

:-D

I'm happy:-) The sun is shining once more - it's t-shirt weather, and I got an 80+ (which means it's publishable) first in my Dawkins essay. I said if I got two good marks in my essays I am going to push on with my MA application - well that assertion's come back to bite me, I got two very good marks. Plus, Paul Heelas says he's heard things on the grapevine, and thinks I could well get funding if I apply asap. I'm on it...I'm about to finish my application, so please keep everything crossed.

The sun - a miracle!

Today has been sunny, and warm. It's wonderful. We made a full breakfast, and ate it in the garden. I was sat there in just my sheep covered pyjamas. Just to prove the world's gone mad, a wasp came to join us. A wasp, in February? Poor thing's going to freeze to death tonight! I hope it stays this way. I know it's global warming, but in happy la-la land it feels like divine retribution for the awful summer we had last year. I went up to uni earlier, and everyone I passed had a smile on their face. Sitting out in the garden made us all the more determined to move somewhere sunny when we've got the means, we've been thinking of Australia for a while now.

We have a sweepstake on at the moment. It's been running for 10 days. You have to bet how long it'll take our housemate, Chris, to spend £250. He's owed us money for months. He's finally getting straight, and ended up with £250 to live off this month. We're no longer buying anything for him (we were covering everything) - we've made it perfectly clear he's getting nothing else. £250 to us is a hell of a lot of money - both of us live off that in a month (not including the rent, of course!). Chris, however, has no concept cost and budgeting. We're guessing he's down to his last £20, if that, and he has no more money until the final Thursday of the month. He's already trying to take the piss, taking anything that we haven't put our name on - you feel like an idiot labelling all your food, but we're learning the hard way we have to. It really sucks, because Chris was our best friend...

Anyhow, I'm going to stop bitching. I'm very happy the weather's nice, I've found another job to apply for, and I'm about to make salmon and leeks in a honey mustard sauce, with roast potatoes. So it's all good really...

Big things

Raine and I went away this week, all expenses paid. I had an interview down in Nottingham. We got to stay in a really snazzy hotel the company had booked for us. It was very impressive. To give an idea of how posh it was you got a dressing gown in the room - that means you've reached the top, in terms of hotels, I think! There was a restaurant, from which I was allowed dinner; the food was disappointing, though - everything we had was bland, and one dimensional. A very practical illustration that money can't buy you taste.

The interview was a full day event. Very exhasting, mentally and physically (hence the flopped Bean aftershot). It was a lot of fun, though. I got a really good feel for the company - although they're enormous, I like the direction they're going in, and their ethos. I don't know how I did, it takes a while to hear back from them, so I have to try and forget about it. It's very competitive, and looking back I can see some things that I did wrong. It was a learning experience, and a good night away, if nothing else.

Raine and I got essays back today, for our political theology course, we both got firsts. Which is good, a) because we don't have to secretly resent each other;-) and b) because we can celebrate! I'm going to make Pad Thai, the recipe for which we have mastered, and open a bottle of wine.

I have to have a blood test, and ECG next week. I've been worried about my heart for a little while. Early onset heart disease runs on both sides of my family, and I've had a few worrying signs. It seems my blood pressure's high, which I expected. They have to do these tests, to rule out some unlikely, but serious, conditions. I'm relieved that it's happening. As I say, I've been a little concerned, so I knew something was up, I'm going to be pleased when I know exactly what's what.

I got a new phone a couple of weeks ago. It's very exciting. You can store 100s upon 100s of music tracks on it. It's great for when I'm doing poster shifts at work. I'm pleasantly surprised by new fangled technology reguarly at the moment... I recently started using iTunes, and downloading TV shows from C4 and the BBC's websites'. It's nice to be able to watch things when and where we want. We got a hold of an Iraq show I missed, but really wanted to see, about the life of Under 21's (half the pre-invasion population of Iraq) since the invasion. You can still download it, from http://www.channel4.com/4od/index.html, under documentaries.

An entertaining Riverdance

Raine's mum called this morning, to tell us that a freight liner had washed up outside her house. This mamouth boat: Riverdance, is headline news. A freak wave hit it in the Irish Sea. About 30 people had to be rescued by helecopter - it was sitting at 45 degrees, being hit by 7m waves. We're planning to go to Blackpool this weekend, so I think we're going to go a day early and take a look. Dan lives nearby and he went to have a look, he says it's surreal... there are freight lorries hanging off. Hopefully it's fuel tank won't burst - there's 150 tonnes of fuel on there.

Wristcutters - A love story

Another film recommendation: "Wristcutters - A Love Story". Really surreal film... it's an afterlife roadtrip movie. It follows one guy, in an afterlife occupied only by the victims of suicide, on a trip to find his ex-girlfriend. His trip is punctuated by a visit with Tom Waits, whose character runs an afterlife commune. Well worth seeing!

I Don't Want To Sleep Alone

Raine and I went to see "I Don't Want to Sleep Alone" (Hei yan quan) at The Dukes last night. It's getting a blogspot headline because it's well worth seeing. It's a very surreal, and clever, Malaysian film, by the director Ming-liang Tsai. We'd never seen anything of his before, but I think we're going to try and get hold of some of his back catalogue. As a guide, if you like the films of the more popular Ki-duk Kim you may well like this. There is very little dialogue, it's an exercise in people watching, though the story is complex - it's kind of Ki-duk Kim if he did magical realism.

We went for an after film drink and chat in the converted Church around the corner from the cinema. It's one of our favourite watering holes. I tried new Guinness (yes, new Guinness, by the makers of Guinness): Red Guinness. Who'd have thought Guinness would ever come up with a new drink! It's very interesting - straight away I said it tasted like caramel, not overwhelmingly so, but just enough of a hint. Guinness describe it as smoother and sweeter, with a hint of caramel. For all you beer drinkers out there it's worth a go...in fact, even if you're not a beer drinker try a half pint - Raine liked it, and she hates beer. There are lots of gimicky ales about, with added synthetic flavours; Guinness has done well here because they've simply modified the original recipe by adding lightly roasted barley, which means a new flavour, but the retention of an organic taste.

The rain

When I finished work on Saturday we went to Blackpool. We decided to stay over on Sunday night, thinking we'd head back early on Monday. This was a bad idea - we ended up flooded in Blackpool. We spent two hours getting eight miles down the road. We were stuck in traffic jams, because no one could get on the motorway. We tried to go down back roads, but we were going through increasingly large puddles. Water was coming up, like fountains, out of the drains. Once the puddles started threatening to come through the doors we headed back to my parents' house. It turned out the River Wyre had burst its banks, and there'd been a crash on the motorway.

The flooding's been crazy. Literally and metophorically it feels like the whole country could just float away. The water went off at my parents house, along with 20 000 other homes, and the hospital. Electricity has been out in some places. The economy is dying. The banks are going crazy - they're telling people not to spend, or take out their money. There's this horrible bug going round the entire country, too...my Uncle's had it, which isn't good when you're in your 90s and in close proximity to other elderly, infirm people. The government's asking people to quarentine themselves if they catch it - stay away from work until 3 days after your symptoms have gone.

Personal and collective escapism is needed at the moment. On a personal level we're in need of a break - we're fed up of being taken for granted. We're locking ourselves in the bedroom tonight and trying creative escapism. We've gotten in some Ben and Jerry's (Bohemian Rasberry), and we're watching a film which came free with The Independent (Newspaper): "Familia Rodante" (Rolling Family). Apparently it's the brazilian version of 'Little Miss Sunshine'. I am, therefore, excited!

Kit Kats and Ninjas

We've had a busy couple of weeks, but our essays were handed in yesterday, so we're having a couple of days off. Raine also got an essay back, she got a 70: a first!:-D

We've got a new car, a Fiat Cinquecento Sporting. It was an absolute bargain from Ebay. Average price is £1000 or more, we got it for £380. It clearly belonged to a boy racer - it has red seatbelts, a big exhaust, and a sporty steering wheel and gearstick. We decided, after a mini, we had to go silly - so we're two hippies, the dreadlocked driver keeping to the speed limit, and banging out folk and alt rock tunes on the flashy stereo. Chris says it looks like a Kit Kat chunky, by virtue of it being red and boxy. I have emailed Nestle, I want them to sponsor me to get Kit Kat painted down the side! I realise they're probably going to say no, but hey, think of the amusement if they agree.

We took a break and went on a good old fashioned date last week. I planned a surprise, magical mystery night. I booked us a table at the local Tapanyaki restaurant (Japanese restaurant, where they cook on a hot plate in front of you). We had two wonderful meals: sea bass and chicken. Inspired by the scrummy sea bass I am determined to learn more fish dishes. I know a few, but nowhere near enough. After the meal we went to see the very disappointing 'I Am Legend'. We drowned our movie related sorrows in Revolution (Vodka bar). We shared 7 shots, all wild and wonderful - from palma violet and toffee apple to chilli and porridge.

Our roof's developed a leak. We were awoken to dripping last week. I've become re-addicted to Richard Shindell, because it made me hum 'Money for Floods'...if it grows into a hole I can sing 'Calling The Moon'. It should be fixed tomorrow, a surveyor is coming to check it out, hopefully they won't suggest that the whole roof needs replacing.

Yesterday I went to Borders and spent my Christmas vouchers on three books. Haruki Murakami's 'Underground'. I've wanted to read this for a while - I love Murakami (author of 'Norwegian Wood'), and this book's about Aum Shinrikyo's subway attacks, which I studied in detail last year. The other two were random choices, both by Turkish author Orhan Pamuk. One's about the return of a poet in exile to Istanbul, the other's about a University student who abandons their everyday life because of a book they've just read.

I received an Email from Manchester University's film society today. A film company is asking for people to read a script, and come to discuss it in a focus group. I've sent an email to the company asking to take part, I'm hoping I got in there in time.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year friends. Hope 2008 is one of personal growth and happiness for you all.

Resolutions? Mine include: write at least one masterpiece dissertation; drink more tea and less alcohol; get a good job; and work towards being in a position to buy a house in 2009.

We went sale shopping today. It's worth doing. You think it's a cliché, but there really are tons of bargains out there. You have to see the bigger picture, be mother like and think about the whole year - I got two pairs of shorts for £6. These are not just any shorts, they're outrageous shorts - they need not be shy when sitting next to my bright orange board shorts. I also got a yellow hoody, which I fell in love with straight away - it's so comfy. Raine says it makes me look really little (by virtue of it being available only in a large, I think), and a banana...but I don't care, I'm a young, comfortable banana.

It's market day on Saturday in Lancaster. We got lots of veggies. We're making roasted vegetable pasta tonight. Then, possibly tomorrow, soup. I had a good soup today: spicy parsnip, from one of the nicest eateries in Lancaster: Soup-a-nova.

For all of you with a university email address: Microsoft have a student website, where you can buy discounted Office (Word, Powerpoint etc). The website is theultimatesteal.co.uk. It's available for £38.95 here in the UK, and $60 in the US (use com instead of co.uk). Cheeky really - $60=£30, but it's still a hell of a lot cheaper than anywhere else! One simple, but effective, improvement in the latest version of Word (I use it at work): anything you paste into a document is automatically in the format you're writing in.

Our electricity company is ripping us off - charging us over 100% more than one of their competitors. We're going to move companies, of course. The fact that they can get away with it is shocking, though. It's so cold at the moment, and we're trying to save electricity by keeping the heating down. I walked home from work yesterday in pouring, icy rain - I was soaked to the bone when I got home. Raine was waiting at the door with my pyjamas and dressing gown, I would have loved to sit in front of the fire, instead I huddled under a duvet.