relief

I have my course results at last and passed both (well 3 actually if you include the summer school course); for the geology course and its summer school I got a grade 2 (2:1 equivalent) pass for both and for the nasty course I got a grade 3 (equivalent to desmond). So that is all my Level 2 courses completed, next year I'm off to Level 3 chemistry hurrah eek

3 years down, 2 (or 3) to go

Yay I’ve finished both my exams for this year and fingers crossed have done enough to pass. Now I have to decide whether to do 1 or 2 courses next year. 2 courses this year has been hard, but then I haven’t enjoyed the content. Perhaps 2 courses will be easier when I actually like the content? Plus I have friends who are university lecturers in the relevant field and can help me out if stuck. And if I take only 1 course next year, it takes me an extra year to finish my degree. On the other hand it will obviously be less expensive, less stressful and have less impact on my family if I only do 1 course next year. So I don’t know what to doooooooooooooooooo …........

See more progress on: finish my degree

praise be to the cephalapoda

Had my first exam yesterday. Part of the practical section is to recognise a 'mystery fossil' and hurrah it was a piece of an ammonite (at least I hope it was). I like to think the cephalogods have smiled on me for my devotion to them and sent me one of their kind to help in my hour of need. There were several other questions where I at least had A Clue what they were on about (although there were a couple of I Have No Feckin Idea questions too).

Now I have to go and lock myself in the library for the weekend to cram for the Monday exam for the vile course. Ick.

here today, gone tomorrow

tomorrow morning me and my sock knitting and my HP7 and my waterproofs are off to stand in quarries and look at rocks for a week. I should probably read the course book instead of kntting and Harry Pottering on the train tomorrow, butI've kind of gone off rocks. Studying them has been a bit of a let down after looking forward to it for so long. I think there is a chemistry-shaped hole in my brain and I shall be happy to get back to my lovely molecules next year.

strange passions

Socks (sorry sockophobes) - I am developing a dangerous addiction to knitting socks, and an even more dangerous (and expensive) one to buying sock yarn. But it all so lovely and colourful and just a few quid for enough to knit a pair, and socks are such a handy portable knitting project ideal for train journeys, never mind that my stash looks like I am planning to keep the British Army in socks this winter (assuming they like multi-coloured ones) and pandas are going hungry as I buy up all their bamboo in the form of needles. OK so I might have to send O up chimneys to pay my Violet Green bill but that's a small sacrifice compared to the joy of hoarding all those lovely brightly coloured balls of wool, and fondly imagining I will transform them all into lovely socks in time for Christmas.

Thermodynamics - gotta love a discipline that having set up 3 rules, decided there was another more important one so called it the zeroth law. Bless. I am really struggling with one of my courses, so much so that I have actually been happy to see some thermodynamic equations. So much of the course feels like an assemblage of facts describing trends (it's the worst bits of inorganic chemistry magnified), it's nice to have some equations to get ones teeth into. You know where you are with an equation. All together now, heat can't move from a cooler to a hotter.

Sunday afternoon

It's a lovely sunny day, but I am stuck inside with my microscope while O is outside doing magic tricks for bare chested lesbians.

reality gap

what I should have been doing:

working hard on my coursework and getting my assignments done

what I have actually been doing:

learning to crochet, crocheting coin belt, knitting fossils and socks. Although knitting ammonites and belemnites pretty much counts as doing geology, I think.

Oh and playing with my O's new hamster

a Russian Winter White Sapphire imaginatively named Snowy

study Sunday (not)

Gah the weekend's nearly over and I still haven't done any studying yet. I am having one of those omg I can't do it gaaaah days or 3. The fact it's that time and that I've been forgetting to take my anti-loonie pills (unisex) and my anti-loonie pills (gurls only) won't be helping much. Or perhaps it is the my just desserts for failing to observe the sabbath.

Talking of dessert, there is a good chance we will be enjoying a delicious edible Devonian marine ecosystem in the near future (seen over on Pharyngula).






Ooh look, molecules

new toys

Hurray my boxes of OU stuff have arrived. Including a fantabulous microscope and boxes of rocks and fossils.

I'm a bit worried about juggling managing two courses at the same time, and making sure I spend enough time on each and don't get behind on either. The microscope, and the maps, create some logistical problems - can't take them with me to the library or on the train. Last year I relied alot on being able to go to the library to study (no tv, no internet, no food). I will have to try and arrange things so that I use time at home for the maps 'n' microscopes course, and do the other one in the library. Oh except that this course has lots of online activities too. Gah. Must get that 43things thing happening ...

weekly review

oh not more gtd dronings? Yep, fraid so. The weekly review is a key gtd thing, and a generally good idea. So I'm hoping planning to do it each Friday, which ties in nicely with my weighing myself schedule too, then I can review my eating and WL week at the same time. I've dusted down my 43 things list to use as a collection bucket for some of my personal projects (particularly those of the 'someday/maybe' variety), and gone through adding next actions to the things I want to move on (oh and put it in my side bar too hurrah for java script thingummies). Then I've dropped those next actions into my @actions system and made folders for the projects that need them.

I haven't weighed myself today, as I only did it a couple of days ago, but Friday will be my regular weighing day. Eating has gone OK the past 3 days, I have been over my points but I'm not that bothered about that for now. The important thing is I have been eating real food (fruit and veg and pulses omg) and drinking water & green tea (instead of 6 cans of Diet Dr Pepper a day). So far, so good, so keep on going. Tomorrow morning I'll have a swim while O has his swimming lesson, I have a bike ride arranged for Sunday and I've arranged to take friend along to belly dancing so I have to stay for 2 hours instead of 1.

And my OU books have started to arrive hurrah!

not again

So I got back on the dreaded scales and the dreaded numbers were as dreadful as I'd dreaded i.e. highest ever (& over the 18 stone barrier). This is Very Very Bad and Something Must Be Done. I don't feel like I have the energy for it but will push on and hope some energy turns up. I've logged back into WW esource to log my points (because it's a handy tool for recording eating and exercise, and points are easier to work with than calories) and committed to going to aquarobics tonight. And as ever, in case of emergency, buy books.


Actually I must stop buying books, already this month I have spent more on books than most people do in a year and I have a bedside shelf full of ones waiting for me, pluses boxes of stuff on the way from the OU. But this was essential book buying, I needed some books to help me help O with his maths. I don't actually care (much) about whether or not he can do the maths, what upsets me is how easily discouraged he is in the face of new, hard-looking things. I don't want his brain telling him what mine's told me all my life - I can't do it, I'm rubbish, I'll fail, I'll be in trouble, I have to do it perfectly or there's no point, that kind of crappy old yaddah yaddah. So I've got him some books, me some books, and a book for a friend's new baby. Oh and a book for me and O's half-term trip to London - we pretty much know which sights we're going to see and now we know where to eat, too.

So that's the 'spend less' and the 'eat less' resolutions blown already this year, but at least the 'use less plastic bags' one is going strong. I wandered round town with my carbon-neutral, as used by Dick 'n' Dom, omg I look like I hug trees and knit my own muesli, unicorn grocery jute bag, smuggly telling shop assistants "I've got my own bag, thanks, I don't need a plastic one".

Then I came home to wait for the plumber and pimp my blog - thanks so much to phydeaux3 for the labels cloud code.

catching up

Christmas was great, it was really nice to spend the day with all of my family, plus we went to visit friends who moved to Brum last year. Owen got totally spoilt with mounds of presents, including Marvin's Mind Blowing Magic. He spent New Year's Eve performing street magic for friends and neighbours.

All back to work and school now boo and also waiting for the course materials to arrive to start my next OU courses. In preparation for which I have signed up to the cult of Getting Things Done. I've read the holy book, I've set up the sacred 43folders and now I'm ready to start cranking those blessed widgets. I'm going for a mainly anologue implementation to start with (square cut folders, A4 paper, post-its), we'll see how it goes.

Eating is double plus ungood right now, bingeing like feck. Next action: read "Overcoming Binge Eating"

spend spend spend

Now that R has a proper job (at least until next summer) we is not poor all the time anymore hurrah but the downside is I now have to pay for my OU courses myself boo hoo. So today I shelled out for next year's courses - geology and extra geology.

I need to book the summer school too but that will have to wait because I spent the rest of the money on a new laptop instead. Our old one is all old and slow and cranky with a battery life of about 10 minutes, the new one is all shiny and speedy and lovely and long lasting, and my new best friend. Tax bill, what tax bill?

bad blogger's bullet points

• Graduation was stressful but worthwhile (also the house now looks nice for once), R looked great in his robes and funny hat and is a doctor at last hurrah, and I thoroughly recommend Le Petit Blanc for a family celebration


• Summer School was last week, it was fraught and frantic and far too hot, I nearly lost it in the middle of the week but fortunately the work let up slightly and the weather got slightly cooler and it became more bearable, so I made it to the end. And I did enjoy being back in a lab again. Now I just have the assignments to finish


• School Holidays are here so we have to look after our own kids bah. Took O to Gulliver's World yesterday, he said it was the best day of his life.


• Work Work Work is still always here, I have a report to write for Work-work and an assignment to finish for OU-work, before we go on holiday.


• Summer Holidays are next week, we are off first thing on Sunday for 2 weeks. Waah, half of me wishes I could stay at home and catch up with my life.

I am old (official)

Being an OU student means I can use the local university library, so I used my day off today to go and study there. Studying in the library works well for me, as I can't eat in there nor can I use their t'internet, so I am forced to look at my books instead. However it does mean I have to be around large numbers of young people. And their mobile phones.

They use their phones in the library (letting them ring and then holding loud conversations), they use them while they're on the loo, they hold a loud conversation on them in the cafe about how their alcholic mum has gone back on the game.

As I heard someone say on the wireless yesterday, the worst thing about Young People Today is that they make you feel like your parents, moaning on about Young People Today.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Manchester a Young Person is blogging about the fat old witch giving him evils in the library today.

and when they were up they were up

Starting to get back on top of things, and feel like my life is under some kind of (very poor quality) control. Got my work finished and emailed off, got my OU assigment handed in at tutorial last night, can see the floor for toys, and know that there is money in the pipeline for me soon. So things looking better hurrah.

My OU tutor is ace. She is very understanding and encouraging with me when I get behind, her mobile ring tone is 'Paranoid' and she comes up with great activities and experiments - last night we were making fruit salad to illustrate some fundamental concepts in chemistry. I'm really enjoying this course, science is definitely more 'me' than social sciences (all that post-moderism *shudder*). I am still behind tho, so I have to whack quickly thro the next couple of units to catch up. So, back to the books ....

great expectations

It's not that I don't love my parents. I do, and for the past few years I've been getting on much better with them than I used to. I speak to my mum on the phone 2 or 3 times a week, I see them once a month or so, I fix their computer and raise no. 1 grandson. Things are good between us, but there's still stuff I chose not to tell them. Particularly stuff that's about things that have been big issues between us in the past. Two of the biggest have been my weight and my fecking up at university (having been chucked off my chemistry course for doing feck all work and failing my exams twice).

So I decided not to tell my parents that I was going to WW, or that I'd started a science course with the OU. Although things are better now, and I know they wouldn't go on about things the way the used to, I just didn't want the weight of their expectation on me. Probably more in my own head than in theirs, but it would get to me. It's kind of like what Marla was talking about - not wanting to do what you're 'supposed' to do, not conforming to all those expectations. The Bard of Barking wrote:

Love is just a moment of giving
And marriage is when we admit our parents were right

Going to WW and finishing my degree, that feels a lot like admitting my parents were like. I know I should grow up and get over it but I still don't like it.

Imagine how pleased I was to find out that when my mum rang the other night, R told her I was out at WW and went on to tell her about my course. OK so I should've told him I wasn't telling them but you'd think he'd've noticed that I never mention this stuff to them. Bah. Next time his mother phones on a Wednesday night, I'll tell her he's out at one of his regular revolutionary anarchist meetings and see how he likes it.

D*et news: eating not been so good the past couple of days and I'm way over my points . And I have less points now - dropping below 17 stone means I lose a point off my daily allowance boo. We're going out tonight, there will be wine and (some) food, but I'm going to eat a sensible meal at home first.

Couple of NSVs today. Bumped into an acquaintance while wearing my new cheapo, snug-fitting-for-now, bike jacket and he said how fit I was looking. The belt I bought last year, I can now comfortably do up 4 notches smaller than when I first got it. My shape is improving even if my weight is taking longer. I should probably track proper measurements but I am allergic to tape measures.

bonking in the buff

Had a trip to the bike shop for various bits and bobs yesterday, and while I was there I also bought myself a buff, with very fetching orange and black go-faster flames pattern.

Wore the buff to go cycling today and it's great, keeps ears warm while letting heat escape from head hurrah. CB & I did our first 20 mile ride today whooo. It was hard going cycling back home from her house on my own afterwards. This may have been due to my unfit muscles seizing up after sitting down drinking tea for 30 mins at CB's. I however chose to believe I bonked, thus entitling me to a mars bar hurrah.

Right now I gotta go do my packing and finish my OU assignment and have a bath and and and ...

why do I bother?

am I bothering, that is the question. Put on half a pound this week. I've been 'mostly' doing no count but mostly isn't enough. And now I feel cr@p for only losing 2.5 lb in 7 weeks, tho' I'm trying to remind myself that I am doing OK, because I have lost something and am keeping on working at it.

No point making excuses, just need to get on and do it right. I'm going to give NoCount another go for a week, and do it properly this time. (Remind me to blog another time about why I think No Count could be a good plan for me). I'll be able to get more exercise this coming week, too (I'll be allowed to go in the pool after my paper stitches come off).

I feel like I should have a Challenge for this week, too. But can't decide what ... could be no crisps? no booze? drink 1 l water a day? exercise 5 days out of 7? Any suggestions?

other news:
O was so excited at the teeny tiny bit of snow we had this morning, poor little chap was gutted it had all gone by the time he was let out of school. I've been getting started on my OU course, am enjoying it so far, had my first tutorial this week.

recipe of the day (courtesty of FatClub leader): A Chickpea Snack
Drain a can of chickpeas [garbanzos] (or soak and boil your own). Spread on a baking tray, spray with low calorie cooking oil spray stuff, then sprinkle some spices over the chickpeas (eg garam massala, mild chilli powder). Cook in a low (140^oC) oven for about an hour, shaking occassionally, until the chickpeas are dried and getting crunchy. Cool and keep in air tight jar (add some salt if like).
free on No Count if eaten as part of a meal, otherwise 2 points per 100g start weight (eg if you start with a 400g tin of chickpeas, a quarter of the cooked chickpeas will have 2 points).

further adventures of geek-gurl

The DVD drive has to go in this weekend - I've received all my course materials from the OU and there's a DVD of computer activities. I think I'm going to get this NEC ND-3520 that's on special offer. Looks like I'll need some bits and bobs too (makes note to ask wo/man-in-shop) and a copy of nero 6.

Once that's done, next project is getting a laptop and setting up a wireless network at home. Probably this laptop and this router. Or probably some different ones altogether when I change my mind over and over again. Dell have some offers on at the mo.

Anyone who feels like chipping in their 2c worth of advice on laptops and/or networking, please do.

See more progress on: install dvd burner on my pc