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...?
Sunday, 16 March 2008
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
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.
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.
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