Today has been mixed. I've done Comedy Club, some CAD and sent out several emails. Really just tying up loose
ends.
Despite this I still have a mountain of things to sort out, including chasing up cheques from the FC committee, buying a copy of New Design magazine (my degree show logo has been printed) and
sifting through a list the length of my arm.
One other reason why today has been a bit unpleasant, is that my
eye is red and swollen. Not sure why, but I reckon I've got some oil or swarf caught in it. The sooner it clears up
the better; I hate stuff to do with eyes.
Just done a wide scale tidy-up as my room was a state. Despite the
attempt, there are still considerable 'washing issues'. Clean socks are harder to find by the day; boxers are in
short supply, but there are still provisions for a couple more days and everything... well everything else is on at
least its second cycle. It either means a call to the parents (who I have alluded all day today despite my best
attempts to be contactable) or I have to face The Machines myself. Only time will tell whether I'm still smelling
of Fabreeze by my birthday.
Nick came over again today. This time I
was the client. I picked out the shirts for French Cricket and Pedalo and although there maybe issues in membership
numbers (which actually are increasing by the day) the stash will be superb (providing we can afford it).
Looks like I could be going off up
Beacon Hill tomorrow to help Flash with his major project. It's looking fairly nice and tomorrow is D-Day for his
open fire stove - we're BBQing. I hope we get some decent sausages.
Today has been a good day. Good in every
single way. The only pitfall is that I am writing this blog entry now, when I should be out and about in Lufbra on a
Friday night.
The morning started with a lecture that never happened, and so Jon and I spent our time in the
workshops continuing with the injection moulding project. We injected for the first time and it's looking good,
although we are going to have to resolve some issues with the tooling - like bits of it won't come out of the
moulding, but we're getting there.
I learnt how to create ProNC code for the CNC machines. We also had a group meeting where we posed for photos for the log book and made some
headway with the boards, although there is still some way to go, hence me being in on a Friday (which coincidently,
does not feel like a Friday).
Good things unrelated to work include Nick paying me the outstanding on the StudentXtra account and also
supplied me with more free Diet Coke. Not a particularly huge fan most of the time, but when you get a free
consignment of 24 cans, then you can't help but like the stuff.
I spoke to Tongy a few days back and he outlined what direction his website is going to take. I am well excited about it - I love getting my teeth
into something with such a creative licence. I can't wait.
Besty spoke
to me yesterday. I got an email informing me that my trip to the top of the tower has been sanctioned. I feel really
privileged - as far as I know, no one has been up for years, not even Besty. I had to fill out a risk assessment but it looks set to happen sometime in the next few weeks. The
only reason permission has been granted is so that I can take the official photos. I really hope we have some more
sunny days coming...
I have noticed I have started having MSN conversations in (very poor) French. I don't
know what has caused this continental urge, but I will try and restrain myself from now on as it is starting to
worry people (especially the French).
Finally, and definitely the most epic-like event of today was OC 24.
Some hysteria was building at lunch when rumours spread that Cardboard Tom might have seen it and by 8pm I was fully
satisfied and had completed the whole of Season 2. Wow. What an ending. There are only four American programs worth
anything in this world and they rank in this order:
- The O.C. - Queen of teen drama, yummy girls and yummy mummies.
- Judge Judy - This woman is a legend. The young should
be forced to watch this until they have similar moral values to the new Iron Lady.
- Malcolm In The Middle - Another FOX show, this show provides the perfect
mix of comedy, family and anarchy. Reminds me of home (too much).
- Futurama - Unfortunately prematurely curtailed, Futurama provided
some of the best 3D cartoon work, satirical comedy and quotes of the era like:
- "It's like that drug
trip in that movie I saw when I was on that drug trip."
- "Valentine's Day's coming? Aw crap! I
forgot to get a girlfriend again!"
- "Oh wait, you're serious. Let me laugh even
harder."
- "At the risk of sounding negative, no."
I should get out
more.
Fresh back from the Union (and still reeking
of stale beer); Rufio, Devito and myself just witnessed legendary 90s band, Supergrass. This is probably the biggest
gig that Lufbra have hosted in years. The only other band of note that I know played here (albeit before the fame
came along) is U2.
The gig was good. Small, hot, lively and good. There were quite a large Towers massive down
there - Jojo, Ben, Flash (plus sister & mate from home), Rich and various others from last year and my course -
Holty (Happy 20th Mate!), Jack, Ellie & Tom, Pippa.
Devito jumped (literally) on the crowd surf
bandwagon. I really considered it, but I tried to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages; my un-insured phone
prevailed. I will be trying it at a future date though.
My photos were pretty shocking. The image with this
post is either going to be one off my phone or if Leon gets his ass into gear, one of his.
The point of sale
for the DP4 is coming on well. I have tried to persuade the others that we should apply same finishing touches with
as much care as the mould block, but no one concurs. I'm sure I can find some way of ensuring that they remove
those ugly drawing pins and replace them with glue. Saying that, on the whole, I am well impressed with
it.
This morning was beyond a failure. Although in good spirits, the world conspired against me. Things
didn't fit, meetings didn't happen, lectures got in the way but the tutor didn't turn up.
Why do I always
feel hungry at about this time of night?
This entry is going to be my shortest yet. The day has been so
long - 9am until 10pm pure work. At least I am feeling like I'm achieving, even if that achievement is purely the
satisfaction of ordering Domino's.
Roll on Supergrass and
tomorrow...
Because he was working his little socks off. Or
something like that.
Towers Hall Summer Formal is going on as I type and despite the fact I bought a ticket,
I'm not there. I have decided to take a raincheck and stay in. I realised I really wasn't up for it, not even one
bit.
Back tracking over the past two years, I'd have thought I'd have noticed it, but until Dizzy Jo made
her reasons for not going clear, the penny had never dropped. To put it simply - I don't like these events. I
don't like dressing in a suit to go out and get drunk, let alone a DJ. I can put up with a reception, or a meal,
but club visits are ruined. I spent too much time trying to keep things spill-free. Also, I get queasy. I don't
know why, but dressing up like that for a ball physically makes me feel uneasy and sick. Now, don't get me wrong, I
love to socialise, and I love boats, but this just does not appeal.
I could make other excuses as well; like I
have to operate heavy machinery tomorrow at 9am and can't afford to be drunk, or that 25 quid is fine, but when
four-fifths of that is directly paying for the open-bar (which I can't use too heavily due to aforementioned
reason), the cost is too much.
I have been conned before, but it is only now I have woken up to the real
reason why I don't have a good night. It's the same at every ball I have ever been to. My leaver's ball, my
fresher's ball, the two Christmas balls, last year's summer formal. It's not even like I'm surrounded by people
I don't know, it's purely my distaste of these events.
Well a least I finally got that out of my system (and
retrieved my ticket money before it got banked).
So now instead I am here, still in the tower, still working
away. I am contemplating an early night. My sister MSN'd me earlier. Am I coming home for my birthday?
My
birthday? I'd forgotten. It's just over a week away and I haven't even had a chance to think what I'm going to
do for it let alone to let anyone else around here know. Maybe I could stay in and do some electronics or stick pins
in my eyes. I don't even know which I'd prefer.
I've just stumbled upon this. As you probably know, six month's ago
one of the icon's of the British music scene tragically passed away. I am of course talking about John
Peel.
I have to say I was never a particular fan of his show or his music choice, but I did listen
occasionally and understood how well respected then man was. I even expressed sorrow at his death. So it was strange
today to come across this blog entry by
Stodge.
How strange it must have been to
firstly witness a death; something which I hope I never have to endure, and secondly to realise it is a man for whom
you have great respect for. It made for thought-provoking reading.
In a similar vein, one of my close friends
last night lost his granddad. He had travelled home on Saturday, then come back after saying his goodbyes. I find the
thought of doing that so hard to comprehend, but am glad that for my mate's sake the painful waiting is
over.
On a far more mundane front; I have made considerable progress with the mould blocks for the
Ribena widget, however I am not allowed to utter a word about it as I will be fined under a new system that the
Swan, Devito, Rufio and myself introduced last night after our (mediocre) curry. To be explicit, Rufio didn't
actually agree to it, but we have decided he has to obey it anyway.
I, am no longer allowed to be either
vague or talk about my course in front of my friends. If I do, I will we fined 50 English New Pence. The same
applies if Swanny misses one of his lectures. If DeVito hits anyone when unprovoked he pays up or if Rufio says
anything that is outside of the boundaries of taste and decency, the sound of rattling change can be heard.
As
a late addition, Mike must not be Cheesy or face the same penalty. It is good fun, but Rufio reckons it is 'Ruining
the dynamic'. The whole point was to reign him in a bit. Recently his comments have been becoming so grossly
inappropriate, and we really are making an effort to piss on his bonfire, but unfortunately, he can still make it
sound funny, even if it isn't.
I currently owe about �2.50, Swanny �1.50, Devito is doing pretty well, but
Sean... well Sean has had to take out a second student loan.
Tomorrow is the Towers Summer Formal. I am unsure
if I am truly looking forward to the event, but it is one of those things you feel obliged to do. This week is so
packed with work that I shouldn't even be contemplating going, let alone the Supergrass concert on Thursday.
I did my materials presentation this
morning. I was very worried before I went in. Early reports were fed back detailing the use of PowerPoint
presentations, the weaing of suits etc etc. All I had was some footnotes and a hoody. This did not promise to go
well, especially when upon trying do my 'Recital to Lufbra', I faulted repeatedly with just woolly clouds floating through between my
ears. Glad that all cleared when I got up there. Plus I had the bonus happiness that PowerPoint made no difference
to the marks and our boards were one of the best set they had seen so far.
Even if DDS did run off with my
keys and leave me stranded outside my room for two hours, all in all it has been a good day.
Last night I
had a party in my room. The thing that is confusing me the most is whose party it was, as it certainly wasn't
mine.
Actually, I do know - it was Nadine's 19th, which was celebrated on my floor and eventually spilled
into my room where I was attempting to work. In fact, it made a pleasant break from the rigmarole of bloody
materials work, which I was slaving away on, and have continued to be doing ever since.
I was pleased to be
visited by the likes of DDS, Blondage, Fat Dave, Fish, Greg, Nadine, Chloe and Dizzy Jo amongst others. It was amusing to watch
the lots of them slowly bleed into a blissful alcoholic state, even if it was (that is, the punch) all over my
bed/carpet/walls etc etc.
Even though I had intended on going out for the night for Sammi's birthday at VV, it ended up with me staying in and up until 2.30am working on the finer points of
Scanning Electron Microscopy. Even me, the loveable geek, does not enjoy this, especially while the sounds of
clinking glasses and highly tippled people are echoing around my floor. Luis was once again disappointed in my lack
of attendance. These Spanish; so hard to please.
I have just been down to the committee meeting to try and
sell FC and Pedalo tops to the members. I'm really trying to push the point
but getting little in the way of coordinated help. Partially it's my fault, but sometimes I just wish a
(stunningly gorgeous) superheroine clad in a social society cape (and bikini) would fly over, spot the issues I'm
having and sort out the polo shirts.
Looks like we're getting a curry tonight. It's going to be the
highlight of my day. I've had to put up with glancing up through my window all day, only to be greeted by blazing
sunshine. This is not conducive to work, and makes me feel mortified I'm missing all this. The worst thing is that
I know I could be doing exactly the same thing next week, but doing my CAD work instead. Why can't I have a weekend like everyone else?