Prince Caspian April 30, 2008

Excuse the gimp at the beginning.

Not sure of the Prince Caspian accent. Still looks amazing though.

Titles shouldn’t be this hard to think of… April 29, 2008

The FP told me of a very interesting programme to watch last night….Am I Normal? (On BBC2) It was very interesting, looking at the line between religious devotion and psychiatric disorder. As a Christian who will one day be training to be a Clinical Psychologist (I think anyways) I find that my faith sometimes contradicts what I learn about in Psychology. This does worry me somewhat, for example if I ever get a client claiming to have had a religious experience…I’m not sure I could just pass it off as them being mentally ill. The programme didn’t really clear this problem up for me. The line is extremely fine it would seem, between religious devotion and some mental illness. It confuses me a bit. It came up with valid points about hearing voices, points I definitely don’t have the answer to. But a very important thing it came up with was the context of religious experiences, it is true that people are comfortable with Christians (and other believers of different faiths) talking to God and generally experiencing God within a church or place of worship, but when it gets outside of these settings, people don’t see it as normal. If I was walking down the street talking to God, people would assume me to be mentally ill, however, if I do it in a church, it is seen as normal. One of the most fascinating things in the programme was the bit with the man talking in tongues. Some see talking in tongues as complete gibberish. So they did a PET scan to show what part of his brain he was using when talking in tongues. They found it wasn’t the usual language based places and that he certainly wasn’t making up what he was saying and lying about it as these areas of the brain weren’t used. Very interesting indeed. I’d definitely recommend watching it.

Also, I was reading today this interesting interview with Devin Brown (He writes about C.S Lewis) and his insights into Prince Caspian, about the spiritual links in it. Worth a read in my opinion.

Other than that…nothing really to say. Bad nights sleep again….it was really noisy outside…I remember at one point hearing what I think now was possibly a milk float..but thinking it was a train, until I remembered I don’t live by train tracks. My day’s been OK, fairly productive with work. Just about to learn behavioural genetics. Hurrah.

 

Tom-tastic April 28, 2008

Today’s been good. Thomas was round, he was off school ‘cos he was ill. He was watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when he said to me, very matter-of-factly “I feel sick” and proceeded to go upstairs. Less than a minute later I heard him retching. Going upstairs with a glass of water, like the caring Aunt I am I checked to see if he was alright. He didn’t seem at all phased by being sick. I was. I kept my distance as I patted him on the back.

When he was back downstairs, I gave him a bowl, just in case. We watched Narnia. He asked many questions…somewhat spoiling the Narnia experience. Every few minutes either a comment or a question was asked. Numerous of them. “Would have been well scary to wake up to bombs dropping.” “Yeah it would.” was my reply. “My friend called it Na-nia hahaha.”; “Is that Gregory?” (upon seeing the professor), “He counts very loudly“, “What are those?” (When the moth balls fall out of the wardrobe), upon hearing the White Witch say “So much for love“…”What does she mean by that?”, upon seeing Centaurs “Man, they’re weird“, upon seeing Aslan “This is what Baz would do….*roars*“. These were only a few of the comments/questions. I didn’t mind answering, but it made the film so much less dramatic. But I do like having him here.

I signed up for my Add+Vantage module today….I am doing work experience in a Psychological setting, it said 50 hours on one thing…now it says 100. Never mind. I have a few lectures for it…Monday 4-6. Poor time. I also looked at the assessments we have next year…one of them is a 10 minute presentation, for the double module. *DIES*

I read a terrible story in the news today, about a woman who had been kept captive by her father in a cellar for 24 years. He fathered her 7 children. It’s just awful. Story here:    It’s like an even more horrific messed up version of Flowers in the Attic.

I didn’t think I’d blog today….I’m such a blog whore….and a comment whore on Elaine’s blog. Never mind. I had an awful dream last night, it was very sad. I’m going to go back to learning about Neurons now, yippee.

Quoteage: White Witch: You know, Aslan, I’m a little disappointed in you. Did you honestly think you could save the human traitor? You are giving me your life and saving no one. So much for love. Tonight, the Deep Magic will be appeased, but tomorrow, we will take Narnia forever! In that knowledge, despair… and die!

I update this far too often… April 27, 2008

I very much prefer it to Facebook and Myspace…they bore me, you can’t really express yourself on there. Or at least I can’t.

I felt sad yesterday evening…I felt as though I had let myself down in not being a stronger person. However today I feel it is best to make the best of a bad situation. I’ll just have to make sure I do exceedingly well in what I am doing and not worry about what I haven’t achieved. Easier said than done.

I’ve been thinking today….about the links between Narnia and Christianity…and Aslan and God. I know some people think the books are based on Plato. I don’t. I love how the depiction of Aslan seems to really have caught the character of God….like He’s not safe, but He is good. Also there’s the bit in the Magician’s Nephew, where Digory is going to the valley and he says about being really hungry and how someone should have arranged their meals. Polly says something like “Wouldn’t he know without being asked?” referring to Aslan knowing of their need of food….and Fledge says something along the lines of “I’ve no doubt he would, but I’ve the idea that he likes to be asked.” I think that’s what the Lord is like. Maybe. Then there’s the whole Turkish Delight and temptation thing…like Edmund was never satisfied he always wanted more. The end of Dawn Treaderis so much more explicit about it in my opinion. At the End of the World, they meet a lamb, who changes into Aslan himself….of course Jesus is commonly referred to as both lion and lamb. And then there’s the whole thing about Lucy being sad that she won’t see Aslan again….and Aslan tells her she will in her world (our world) because he is there also, he just has a different name.

I’m rambling on today. I apologise. I’m tired and my brain feels woolly from trying to cram too much information into it. Ironically I’m just about to go learn about memory. Hip hip hooray.

Quoteage: Alice: If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary-wise; what it is it wouldn’t be, and what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?

I find Alice in Wonderland most strange…but yet very interesting. I might read it again soon.

Regrets. April 26, 2008

• Not doing all 3 A Levels
• As a consequence not getting into a more prestigious University
• Not leaving Coventry
• Choosing Priory Hall as a place to live
• Not staying with the Choir at Coundon
• Not nagging enough for piano lessons
• Not trying a bit harder with everything

It’s Jag-tastic. April 26, 2008

I don’t know how I’m supposed to revise with so much noise going on, my brother is playing his music loudly….my mother is also as well as using the new hoover which sounds much like a jet engine. I don’t have the motivation to do much work today, I feel very distracted, by nothing in particular. I have found myself just staring at my work on numerous occasions. Who said doing a degree was easy.

I bought some leggings today, to try and hide my elephant legs, so I can wear my dress. Makes them look marginally better so I am wearing it today.

That’s me and that’s the dress. Excuse the legs.

2 days till I apply for this year’s Add+Vantage module. I’m putting at the top of my list work experience in a Psychological setting. I just hope I don’t get anything rubbish. I have to do 50 hours in total…not bad at all really.

My parents have decided on having a mini orchard type thing in the garden. Now I’m all for growing your own food and stuff….but an orchard? Hmm. Should be fun when it doesn’t work out. The tomato plants are already dying. Goodbye trees.

I stole some bizarre Jaffa Cakes from the biscuit tin last night….I feel no remorse. I’m not a Psychopath…I just really don’t care. They were weird but nice to watch Narnia with. I prefer the normal orange variety though. I’m looking forward to this evening’s stir fry dinner…although I have to say….I’m bored of being vegetarian. And fed up of dreaming of meat. But I will carry on with it. For the chickens.

Back to work time now. Quoteage: Aslan: “If the Witch understood the true meaning of sacrifice, she would have interpreted the deep magic differently. That when a willing victim who has committed no treachery, is killed in a traitor’s stead, the stone table will crack, and even death itself will go backwards.”

Drowning in a sea of revision. April 25, 2008

The world is a small one. I feel stressed. I question the logistics of my revision timetable. It’s ordering me to be up for 9am every morning for the next 4 weeks….and be working till 10pm…..I somehow think that is not going to be achieved. I have done well today though, 3 essay plans, Psychobiology Historical Context and recent applications looked through and notes made and I’ve revised 3 different studies. And I have had time to fit in a watching of Narnia.

Thomas was round today….ill and off school. He was sneezing and coughing his germs everywhere. Poor boy. Consequently…any doors that he had touched…I opened with my elbows and have washed my hands quite often today. I don’t want to be ill, I’ve only just got rid of my last cold. If I had Dettol spray I would spray it around the house to kill the germs. However I do not, so I’ve probably breathed them all in and am now infested with filth.

I read something interesting today during revision. Some Psychologists are trying to work out how to get people to increase the effectiveness of their immune systems by classical conditioning…with a  neutral, non-medical stimulus. They managed to get rats’ immune systems conditioned to this special water….and whenever they drank it their immune system was suppressed. So like one day….when we feel a cold coming on, we might be able to put on some music that our immune system has associated with enhancing itself…and ward off illness. I can’t wait for that day.

On a less Psychological note….

Whenever I revise lots or have very little time….I always get more creative, I’ve thought of numerous stories to write and there’s a few pictures I’d like to try drawing….but I feel, for the time being, that they will stay inside my mind, until there is a time appropriate for their release.

I saw a rainbow yesterday. I took a photo..

 I like rainbows and taking photos. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow looks like it is situated in the middle of town

Another thing I must add….I want to live in the Cotswolds, I really do. And also…I like my new CD, it’s good to sing to.

Ending with quoteage :-)  I’m longing to see him” said Peter “Even if I do feel frightened when it comes to the point” – C.S Lewis, The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe.

 

Bored much? April 24, 2008

Uneventful day today. That’s an understatement to say the least. That’s not to say I’ve done nothing today.

I’ve done quite a bit of revision…and also made a revision timetable to organise myself a bit better. However I appear to have forgotten to leave myself any time to actually have a life. I didn’t know how to incorporate that into the timetable. If I stick to it I should pretty much learn everything I need to for my exams.

I’ve fallen in love with a number of songs today….Can’t Take It In by Imogen Heap, Where - Harry Gregson-Williams with Lisbeth Scott singing, and Mother Mary by Foxboro Hot Tubs. The former two I very much recommend. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=esz99cV6Ado Linkage for the Imogen Heap song. I also really like Only the beginning of the Adventure on the Narnia CD, makes me feel happy

 

Prince Caspian new trailer! Excited much?

This blog has no structure or substance…being as I didn’t do anything of much structure or substance today. I was reading in the news that recorded crime had fallen by 12% in the final 3 months of 2007….from the same list of news things it said that last year had a 20% rise in drug crime and a 112% rise in attacks on children….hmmm confused much?

Quoteage: Christopher Gardner: [about the spelling mistakes in the graffiti of a building] It’s not H-A-P-P-Y-N-E-S-S Happiness is spelled with an “I” instead of a “Y”
Christopher: Oh, okay. Is “Fuck” spelled right?
Christopher Gardner: Um, yes. “Fuck” is spelled right but you shouldn’t use that word.
Christopher: Why? What’s it mean?
Christopher Gardner: It’s, um, an adult word used to express anger and, uh, other things. But it’s an adult word. It’s spelled right, but don’t use it. 

 

One word - www.cherrybambooblinds.com April 23, 2008

Today = unproductive but nevertheless fun. I earned a tenner.

I did some work on Psychological theories of crime. Then I went to my sister’s. Affaf was off school again and the FP had finished Uni for the day and was mad. When she was creating dinner, a catastrophe occurred, everything from the top of the cupboard…..biscuit tins and Baz junk… came tumbling down. I heroically saved her from a Cadbury tin but she did not notice this, instead she went into a rage, throwing the Baz junk to the floor. I carried on drinking my tea, no need to get involved. She calmed down much later though.

Ginge asked me to play with him, with his building blocks. No offence to him, but I find it boring. However he did build a marvellous house, of which he was quite proud. I took a photo….

 He was in the middle of saying “cheese!” He knows how to take a good photo. Me taking this one snap, subsequently had him ordering me to take more, of each tower he built.

 I didn’t mind. I thought they were awesome.

After dinner and after Lin had calmed, I showed her the Prince Caspian new trailer. It’s AMAZING. I feel really excited for it, it actually brings me out in goosebumps. I love Narnia, leave me alone.

During my time on the computer, Boney Joe played a trick on me. He told me I had a bug on me…I looked around and couldn’t see one….he assured me there was one, so I stood up, seeing a bug on my chair, screamed like the girl I am. He doubled up laughing….at a second glance I realised that it was a toy bug. Very good prank. See bug below.

 Filthy. Baz soon left for his Ghost Walk. Then the FP left for work, leaving me with the boys. Affaf was in bed, so it was just Thomas and Boney Joe and myself. They soon got bored, I entertained them with my bendy thumb and double jointed elbows until Baz’s return. Lady G paid me £10. Very kind. Now I am home, I have the option of doing some work…I did want to finish Psychological theories of crime….exam in two weeks. Orrrrrrr I can watch Narnia, the extended edition. The latter sounds most appealing. I’ll just work doubly hard tomorrow?

Quoteage: Willy Wonka: Do you like my meadow? Try some of my grass! Please have a blade, please do, it’s so delectable and so darn good looking!
Charlie Bucket: You can eat the grass?
Willy Wonka: Of course you can! Everything in this room is eatable, even *I’m* eatable! But that is called “cannibalism,” my dear children, and is in fact frowned upon in most societies.

*Amused*

Tree trunk legs April 22, 2008

Today = productive.

I put all of my Eye Witness Testimony stuff on revision cards…and learnt about Wolpe. So revision today has been good.

Just went shopping with the FP. I bought a dress  I never wear dresses….I generally just look like  scruffy student. The dress I got is quite cute….lots of little flowers on it. However it makes my legs look like tree trunks…they’re not the tallest things ever…so they’re quite stumpy therefore making them look quite large. Lin says they don’t, but she has to say that. I’ll keep it….it’s always good to have a dress just incase….but it makes me feel a bit obese.

Shopping with the FP is always amusing…I saw an old friend…haha I rather *too* enthusiastically greeted her…with a really loud “HIIIIIIII”. I find it hard to greet people normally if I am unprepared. The FP bought some trousers for Tom….cue amusing photo op:

 

I’m well going to do lots of work tomorrow. I’m really loving my Narnia soundtrack music today. Yay for Narnia. I’m going to go do something more productive.

Quoteage: “The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere were they can be quiet, alone with heaven, nature and God, because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy amidst the simple beauty of nature” Anne Frank