It's been a very long weekend. Mostly spent in work i might add. I'm exhausted and not very coherent. But only six hours until i get to go...to a tutorial...could do with a break really. And i don't get one for about 5 weeks...i try and get early nights, but i just never seem to manage them. I also need to get back studying again. I have listened to Medea once in the car, and am part way through it a second time. So i'm aware of the plot, but need reminders. Hopefully, i will be able to spend some time on Saturday or Sunday doing it, in between PJ and Elaines wedding.
posted by small 4:32 PM

After a rewrite tma06 is now handed in. So i'm back to reading the medea and tryign to get ahead before summerschool so that i can just do a quick finish off of tma07 on my return. I really need to finish painting my study, it's silly now. I just haven't the will to do it on my own. I need some good music and probably a bottle of wine so that i can have one lovely finished room. After that i'll move pooter and get a second socket for the phone line put in. I'm also hoping to make some plans for the bathroom and get that done. That would be a great deal out of the way. It just gets a bit lonely doing it on my own...

I have now drained my HSBC account, so it's back to homemade sandwiches and trying to save in halifax account.

posted by small 4:34 PM

I've found this last week very hard, watching other people who experienced relationship break ups only a few months ago happy with other people...and here i am still on my own...

But in keeping with my new attitude i'm not goign to dwell on it too much, i'm getting out and about, studying hard and seizing opportunities. Growing and learning.

posted by small 4:22 PM

We are having power cuts at work again, so i lost the entry where i

wrote about me becoming the treasurer for thw West mids branch of the

OU students association. Considering i am not mathematically minded,

this is quite a task. The accounts for my region are apparently in a

bit of a state, so maybe having someone who will go through them very

carefully because she is aware of her limitations will be a good thing.

Plus this sort of work is useful if i ever intend to move up the

career ladder.

I'm also the Student academic link for the arts. I don't know

whether i will be called upon to do anything, but i like to be useful.

I'm now on the final revision and am on target to hand it in on Thursday. I don't know whether i have really answered the question.

posted by small 5:02 PM

I'll start on Sunday. The grandparents came around, looking very well, and helped out in my garden. You must understand that i don't force them to do this, i am quite happy for them to sit on my bench in the back garden with a cold drink. But my grandad brings his half-moon edging tool and his shears with him! And grandma said that he actually looks forward to having a go on my hover mower! Mind you, he gets the easy task of using the mower, i chase around after him collecting up all the clippings! The pointed out that all the plants i was hopefully growing were in fact weeds and pulled them all out. Still, it was a good afternoon, and gives me another wonderful memory of them.

Saturday is going to take a bit longer to write...

I'll begin through. I woke up far too early, and headed off for Harbourne for the regional forum. I arrived promptly at ten, only to find that the meeting was at 2. So i headed back home again!

posted by small 4:26 PM

I didn't do any work on my tma, but i did start reading the next block, so that's something. I also had a go with Nero, which seems to be exactly what i need. I'll use it for the demo period and then probably buy it.

I've managed to give away two geraniums and will pot another and give it to someone else on Monday. I think the rest will go into two big pots outside my front door.

I'm considering buying another three baskets from Matalan. They look good, and keep things nice and tidy. I also need to tidy upstairs before the grandparents arrive. Washing up might be nice... as it's will and grace on telly, i can chill out and do washing up in the ad breaks. Although i must remember to actually do my TMA on Saturday!

posted by small 4:31 PM

Naughty me didn't do any work on my tma last night. I tried to view a cover dvd from pcformat and had a lot of difficulty. I have found out the my dvd rom is not the one specified, although it does work. I also decided to download Nero and give that cd burner software a try.

I'm back to feeling tired again. I must get an early night tonight.

And err...finish off that tma at some point. Tonight i WILL write it up giving me Friday and Saturday to polish it off. Or i should really make a start on the next block tonight...

So much to do!

I popped into Tescos last night, i had hoped to get to Notcutts, but it closed at 6. I bought some pasta for tea, and had a look around at Cherokee in Tescos. They have some cute and very tempting bags...

I'm going to head back and maybe pick up a bag, and hopefully pick up some pots from Notcutts. I'm going to try repotting my spider plant and perhaps one of it's spiderlets.

posted by small 4:38 PM

Well i did write another hundred words, so i have 250 left of my word count, i think tonight i might start trying to put together in as bit better order so that i then have plenty of time to think about what needs to go in. I'm not that happy with it, but i think i've included everything...

I also tidied up a little last night, sorting out magazine articles into plastic page protectors. I watered my patio pots and sorted out more paper for recycling.

I need to get out more!

posted by small 4:21 PM

Well, i did write another 100 words, so only another 400 to go. I'm not sure that it's on the correct lines, but i'm putting in what i can so i should pass... That means i could spend Saturday night not working, or just reading through it, which isn't so taxing. I'll see how go the rest of this week.

I didn't do much on my house last night, just gave all my patio plants a good watering and collapsed with FFX.

I am so lazy. and my grandparents are coming over on Sunday, so i would like it be at least a little tidier by then. Still, if the weather holds, they can sit outside in the garden and perhaps give me the benefit of their years of experience and help me choose some plants for next year!

I have my camera with me, so i am hoping to finish off my film and get soem pictures of me on holiday skiing and my house done. I can then put some more recent pictures on here!

posted by small 4:20 PM

I had a hectic couple of days off work. Rushing around getting my eyes checked, and into Birmingham to local at the bridal registry for a friend followed by a haircut. Friday i went up to Leicester and sat outside in my grandparents garden having tea and cake and getting sunburnt!

Saturday and Sunday i did a lot of gardening and got myself halfway throough tma06. If i can make a good attempt at finishing it off this week, i then have nearly a whole week to pick it apart! I'm doing well.

I didn't paint my study, it was simply too nice to be stuck in doors! I did go and spend money though. I decided to buy a new computer. I didn't need a new monitor, but bought an emachines pc from pcworld. It came with a new mouse, keyboard and speakers, of which i don't need the speakers...but it's quick and will see me through the next few years. It didn't come with cd burner software and unfortunately my great version of easycd doesn't work with XP (GAH!), so i'm hunting for an alternative.

posted by small 4:24 PM

Well, i did make a start on tma06. I jumped straight in with trying to apply Smart's model to a religious festival (I've chosen Christmas because of it's commerciality) and had a good go at a couple of the dimensions. Then i wrote my conclusion (which this time i will reread and possibly redo when i have finished), so all in all i did about 200 words. I'm going to do another 100 tonight to keep up my target. I won't be doing any tomorrow night because of TH2, but the extra hundred i did last night keeps it up. I am intending to do 300 on Saturday, plus tidying up of the work i have already done, and that will put my nearly half way through. If i can keep that up next week i will still have a week to read through and make any alterations.

Isn't it amazing how good you feel when you start something you have been dreading?

I've also been looking at what people recommend taking to Summer School. An alarm clock (i bought that mini travel one, which i must work out how to set the alarm on. I know i have the instructions...somewhere...), a cd player/tape recorder to keep you going when studying in the evenings, an air freshener...i don't know hwo i'm going to carry those and all my clothes and books! I'm almost tempted to drive up, except for the fact that car parking will be expensive. Nearly 60 pounds is a lot of money. I think i'm going end up taking my backpack for books and supplies, and a big suitcase for clothes. I can always take my discman and rechargable batteries.

I'm also giving serious thought to doing some science short courses. I'm not in a hurry to get a degree. And it might be nice to chop and change. I think Mel is going to do Latin with me, and she is also doing a short course in between, but she is definately thinking about Leonardo. It'll be interesting to see if she enjoys that, as i might end up doing it another time. It would be good to carry on working together for another year, although she intends on doing a language degree.

I've got tomorrow and Friday off. Tomorrow i'm doing exciting things like getting my eyes tested and picking up the lampshade that i ordered two weeks ago from argos. Friday i'm off to Leicester to visit the grandparents. I'm sure i can get some gardening done too, and maybe finish reading the medea. I don't know why, but i seem to prefer writing my tma during the evening. I might even listen to the tapes the ou has provided on the trip to my grandparents. That would be a really good use of time. If there is one thing i've learned, it's how to manage my time, and when i work best.

I did a little more painting of my study, i'd like to get that finished by this weekend, so that i have one room that i like and can start ferrying books from my room to my house.

posted by small 4:50 PM

Well, i had to pay quite a lot, over a thousand pounds for both my car to be repaired and the excess on the hire car...but i'm feeling good despite that. It's annoying because that money could have gone on a pda and a new laptop, or a new front door...instead i'll spending ages trying to pay it off. ALthough i did wonder if i should use the last of my savings to do that.

Still i'm alive, and keeping positive.

I didn't really start my plan last night, but did think about it, and i think i may just jump straight in. Or at least write 100 words tonight. I don't feel motivated to write it, or is it that i just don't agree with the approach that my tutor wants me to take? I'm not sure. I think i will feel better if i make a start though.

posted by small 4:35 PM

from yesterday:


Well, it should have been a very relaxing couple of days, but as is usual for me taking time off work...it all went pearshaped.
My car stopped working on the way home on Wednesday, and it's going to cost a LOT to repair. I've had to hire a car so that i can get into work (more money), and i have managed to scratch the hire car (even more money).

So i'm now feeling very poor. But since i am reading "how to stop worrying and enjoy living" by Dale Carnegie, i am trying to remain positive.

I didn't get up to much. I finished Grandia II and sold all my ps2 games and got FFX and Splinter Cell. I finished painting the hall and made a good start on redoing the study. I did more gardening and remowed my back garden.

I decided to go with FLY Lady and do things like that for 15 minutes, filling up a couple more bin bags with garden waste and a sainburys plastic bag. I also decided to try and recycle more. I have a basket now and in go all my old magazines, envelopes and junk mail. It felt good to do something like that.

I went along to the Sutton Branch OUSA meeting. I seem to have been elected Sutton representative. Actually, i think it will be a good thing to get more involved. And, it can help me to improve my soft management skills, too. I think it would also be nice to meet other students in the Sutton area, too. I'm going to go to the regional forum on the 21st and see what happens.

I am now registered fot at272 and a297. It's scary, but exciting too...mind you i haven't even started tma06 yet and it's due in 25 days... Maybe tonight after my tutorial i will do my plan. That seems like a good idea. I still have a couple of weekends in which to do it, as well as actually spending some time on Thurs or Fri! It's entirely possible and since i am ahead on reading etc, i should do it.

posted by small 4:35 PM

Well, i did finish off the yellow paint last night! Now i just need to touch up the gloss in a few places and redo a little of the green and my hall is finally finished (well apart from needing a new carpet and a new front door...)

I also finally finished Block 4, although some parts will need to be reread. And i registered for AT272 (ancient and medieval cities) and A297 (reading classical latin), a bit of a mixture but should be interesting. I know that Latin will be tough, but i really do want to improve my grammar, and i think that it will be a good change from A103. I had to pay for AT272 up front, which i am not happy about, because i am trying to get rid of my credit card balance.

So, what's tonight's job. Probably not glossing, i'll save that until Thursday, but i may well touch up the green paint and then do a little more on my study. I should also think about measuring for curtains...

Credit card balance. Well, i'm going to consolidate and move my smile balance (which is now out of it's six month interest free period) to my halifax account. But i like Smile's ethics, so i will keep the account open.

I did it. Now i can really work on getting the amount down, i'd like to be debt free by the end of this year. This means i need to pay about 150 quid a month, so it's more likely that it'll be the end of next year...but since i'm taking a cheaper OU course, i could divert some of the straight to it. URGH Credit cards are horrible.

posted by small 4:35 PM

I had a tutorial last night. All about religion again, although it descended into science. Fun stuff. I have decided that i am going to do Latin and the short course on ancient and medieval cities. Melody is probably going to do Latin too, but i have loaned her my book on learning Latin so that she can decide whether or not. I think she might do the short course on Leonardo, if she finds it interesting i might do it at another time.

I was going to try and finish block 4, but was just too tired. That's tonights job! Then i should be all set for attempting to write tma06 starting this week. Nothing like getting ahead with it. It also means that i have plenty of time to reread the set books.

I think when i have my couple of days off this week, the weather is not going to be so good, i should use that to finish my painting jobs...

I just had a light bulb moment, i need to do the work first, before i get the reward of grandia...so tonight, i'm going to finish the yellow paint. Put it away, clean the brush and then get out the green paint for touching up tomorrow. I won't start the green paint, but that can be done along with touching up the gloss in the hall where it has gone yellow after my little accident.

That would be a good thing to achieve. Then i need to finish the study so that i can transfer some books and folders from my room at mum's to my house. This means i'll have more space in my room, which will allow me physical room to sort and purge what i have there! I know i have a lot of stuff which can be got rid of (do i really need to keep back edition of my Old Girls magazine?!!) and i might find some treasures (pretty pictures to put on my walls).

I should also buy some plants from b&q to put into a hanging basket by the front door. I also need to think about bathrooms. If i have a new bathroom put in i could think about properly moving in. Stuff the kitchen, it's not like a cook much anyway. I could have a brand new suite for around 500 quid, but the expensive part is going to be ripping out the old one and getting a new one tiled etc. But i would have thought that 3 grand should cover it.

Sometimes i feel so jealous. My TL is getting married and he is always talking about his lady, buying her expensive gifts and taking her out...

I am giving even more serious consideration to a pda - i could spend around 250 quid on it...or i could pay off my credit card bills...hmmm

posted by small 4:52 PM

From the 2nd:


Well, i had a rather lazy weekend. I did a little bit of gardening and a tiny bit of painting and a LOT of Grandia.

I should have done more, but i just didn't fancy it. Saturday was so hot, but i did manage to rake up another two bags of clippings, so it wasn't exactly time wasted, and i did finish putting together my bench. I headed off to the garden centre, i bought some gardening gloves (very necessary), two pots, a lavendar plant, some compost for hangbaskets and pots, some bamboo canes and a hanging basket (really pretty). The hanging basket is now in my backgarden, the bamboo canes are holding up my sweetpeas, and the pots are filled with compost and lavender.

I got rid of some weeds in my back garden, and a fair few from the front and gave it a bit of a go over with the trimmer. It'll need another go, but i'll just do little bits. Too much and i get bored. And extremely hot in the sun!

Got my tma back, got a 72, which is a LOT better than i was expecting. The tutor said my work was logically written, and i understood both David and Rousseau, i just needed a little more. I think that planning it out carefully really helped, and this essay would have got me a 2:1 classification (just) which is still really good.

I am still pushing through history of science, i am finding it quite hard going, but only have one section and a conclusion left to go, so i should get through that within the next couple of days. I have some time off from work, too, so i should be able to make a good start on tma06...

posted by small 7:59 AM

from the 30th:


I went and spent some nectar points at Argos last night. I bought the trimmer/edger that i had my eye on (and it was reduced by a fiver!) and have ordered a pink lampshade, which should arrive in a couple of weeks.

Mindful of the fact that it was evening i only had a quick go with my edger, but it seemed to do a good job. I am hoping that it stays dry on Saturday so that i can properly finish off my back lawn. It looks like it might rain Sunday, which is a pity, but of course I can use Sunday for painting instead.

The back lawn is very patchy, and will definately need one of those feed thingies. If that doesn't work it's onto seed. And then there is the front lawn (aka the meadow), btu i would hope that i can at least make a start on that on Saturday. I need to find some childrens gardening gloves, so that i can start to pull up some of the weeds..anyone know anywhere that sells them?

I read through a couple my pages of history of science, and should do more tonight. It's become a routine for me, and i work best with routines...

I long to go bck to my house, it's warm and sunny(ish) and i can be me. I'm bored, work is not coming in, and i would much rather be studying.

So, tonight, i see myself playing a little grandia, maybe a little bit more painting and then home for friends and Wallace.

It sounds boring, but i like routine. Maybe i am not meant to get married.

I make it sound as if i don't like work; when i have nothing to do i am plain bored, when i have plenty to work on, i enjoy it. I have a low boredom threshold and like being challenged.

Maybe tonight i should put the bench together instead.

posted by small 8:54 AM