That was possibly the most eventful night I've ever seen at Lufbra.

It was Rufio's birthday celebrations and to enter into the spirit of things, we all put on the prerequisite stripy tops and did our hair up in trademark yellow and red. The night started well, a few drinks on West 14 before heading down to the bar at 7.30pm. What Sean didn't realise was that we had booked him a stripper.

Now Sean loves being the centre of attention, but this was too much for him. Poor stripper. It was almost cringeworthy at times, but also very amusing. I don't envy anyone taking there clothes off who has to put up with a client like young Rufio.

So the night continued. There was a fair bit of alcohol flowing and by the time it came to heading out, we were all fairly drunk. Sean was absolutely hammered (Swan and I had discussed getting him a drink each, but in retrospect our decision not too was justified). Sean was in no state to get into the Union, and after barging his way out of the bar (through the bouncer, and therefore earing himself a ban) he left with Cat who was going to get him into the back door of the Union using her sport's sec pass.

It didn't work and Sean ended up in the queue with us. The only reason he got in was because he knew one of the bouncers on the Union door. Once inside it was a while until I saw him again. I spent most of the night wandering around doing my usual drunken thing. Flash and I headed over to the bar and picked up a couple of triple sambucas. This morning I've got a blister on the roof of my mouth though, as I think I might have left the Flaming bit of a Flaming Sambuca a couple of seconds too long.

Later that evening there were several notable events. Jono got nutted. Broken nose, blood everywhere. I find this absolutely disgusting as there was no need for this to ever spark off, and even worse it was a fight between friends (or at least hallmates) which could have been avoided had it not been for people acting on impulse. It's going to leave a nasty taste in quite a few mouths.

Also, Sean got chucked out the Union. I'm not going to elaborate on the reasons behind it, but when he got home he also found himself in trouble. I phoned him up this morning (under a alcoholic haze and still in a semi-drunken state) to tell him the list of people he owed apologies. Even for an Eddie he exceeded all expectations, going way beyond the call of duty. I think it's the first time at uni he has been genuinely embarrassed about his actions.

Apart from this, it was definitely an awesome night. I forgot how much I loved Wednesday nights.

This morning I peeled myself off my bed, grabbed a shower and turned up in the department for about half nine. Lectures all morning. To be fair on myself, I didn't get a hangover, even if concentration was a little flimsy, but I steered away from the workshop machinery until I'd fully sobered up. I'm happy with the ten fingers I have the way they are.

We also had a lecture on next year's options. I really am unsure what I'm going to do. I am soooo tempted to sack of the BSc course (which I have pursued for a year) and just do a BA. I know if I come out with a BSc it's going to be a low 2.1, but if I do the BA there is a good chance of a high 2.1, plus I'll have enjoyed it more. The ones I am really considering (BA modules) are Internet for Designers (I'll breeze it) and Entrepreneurship. I want to speak to a few people before I start filling out forms though.

I've got to crack on with work this afternoon. I don't know how we are going to get these boards printed in time....

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This is truly hilarious. As I was reporting my last blog entry I received some breaking news, but until this morning I was unable to fully comprehend the scale of the event. DDS, my companion and IDT buddy, has become ginger. Now, you may think this is not a particularly special thing, until you actually witness the horror in it's full, violent self.

The story begins with his birthday a few nights back, when friends dyed it red. It didn't really work, but you could see a light tint. They never 'sealed' it either, which apparently is essential. Currin, in a desperate attempt to regain his dignity (and golden locks) decided to dye it blonde again. What a mistake. He is as yet undecided about what to do to solve the problem, and is currently sheepishly hiding under a cap.

Today further progress was made with the widget, and we tapped a three start triple helix screwthread onto the mould insert, which was as complicated as it sounds. We also made movements in the production of the point of sale unit. I am pleased with the way things are going, but there are still things to be done. As long as the road is as smooth as it has been I'm happy, despite the fact that at other half of the year handed in their projects today, which should be depressing me more than it is.

Tonight we are going out for Rufio's birthday. I am sitting here dressed as an 'Eddie' with dye in hair, stripy t-shirt and mandatory sweat band, which means it's time to go and make inappropriate comments to girls...

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I got my mark back for PT, a big 67 which I am well chuffed about. Nice big marks have not been so easy to come by outside of my CFD and Design Contexts classes, but this has put a grin on my face for the next few days (until I get another result).

I spent the whole day in the workshops putting together the point of sale for the Ribena Widget. Tim and Jim were heavily involved too, Jon eventually appeared to help with the main mould tool insert, and Dan... well, Dan didn't really do much. It was the celebrations for his 20th the night previous, and was looking rather sheepish sporting his newly acquired 'strawberry blonde' locks. Poor guy. Oh well, it is funny.

Talking of birthdays, it was Rufio's today. I sat opposite him today at lunch and watched him open his cards (which were all suspiciously written in the same handwriting), then after reading the opening two syllables of the sentence, shook the card to allow any money inside to fall to the table, then continued reading them. He then complained that his brother (16) and sister (4) hadn't enclosed any bank notes; remarking that their pocket money would have sufficed. The whole process was amusing.

As was Grace's comment slightly earlier while working her way through her salad. Quote of the week is definitely "I have a bit of a thing for cucumbers at the moment". Beautifully put.

I've just got back from Birmingham with Jono. We went to my sister's sixth form social at the Medicine Bar as planned; arriving at around twenty to nine. It was Jono's first visit to Brum, and mine to the Custard Factory (a place I have heard a lot about, but unfortunately missed out on so far).

The kit supplied was extremely impressive (even to a total novice), and there must have been about 40 paid up kids hanging about in the bar. We started to play the first few tunes - just background music until the place filled up (they were expecting 120). Jono's usual style is cheese/party/R'n'B etc, but this gig brief had required more of an indie/rock brief, so the hard drive was stocked up with Kasabian, Bloc Party, Foos, Chilis - awesome stuff.

Turns out however that the party hit a little bump. Being a sixth form party, a lot of the kids were still under 18, and as soon as the management rumbled this they got us to switch of the music and ID'd everyone. Bitch. The place emptied within 10 minutes. Well over half were underage and so immediately chucked out, and by 10.30pm the place was dead. They called the evening to a close.

Ross (the guy in charge) was clearly gutted and the only thing we could do was pack up and leave. To be honest, both Jono and myself were silently relieved as we both needed an early, non-alcoholic night; but all the same felt well sorry that the party had to close. It would have been such a great venue to play (properly).

Sean's birthday celebrations tomorrow night. I wonder whether he knows what we've got in store for him.....?

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The number of forms I have to fill in is rubbish. Why can't these systems be telepathic already?

This morning was more free than normal, so I had a bit of a lie in before my portfolio presentation at 11am. Then lunch, now my room, workshops in a few minutes. My day is planned and organised, totally unlike the rest of this week. I have this impending feeling of dread about something, but I'm not sure what it is yet. Hopefully I am just been a paranoid fool, and infact I am on the cusp of a lottery win or something instead.

Hall photo tonight. We are trying to organise something to wear, but this is proving difficult to say the least. When your mates have about as much creative talent as, well, a bunch of sport scientists, then you're well and truly screwed. I'm sure we'll sort something out in time.

I watched Team America World Police last night. To be honest I wasn't that impressed, and struggled to see the point of the movie. Was it meant to be cynical about everything? Could they not have put some more good humour in it? One or two lines and some subliminal meanings were good, but on the whole I didn't think it was worth watching again.

It's Fiona's party at the Medicine Bar tomorrow night and I'm going down there with Jono who has been asked to DJ for the evening. I'm not entirely sure how sane my sister is; as far as I'm aware asking a single DJ to produce a seven and a half hour set is, even by the most generous of standards, a little... erm... heavy. I think we have negotiated something a lot more civilised now, but I am still unsure how the night will pan out as Jono has still not found out whether he can use his laptop kit or not. We are assuming yes for the moment (Groove Armada are playing next week and we can't believe there isn't going to be some decent kit about) but if not, there will be a minor problem/heart attack.

Q: Do I go out tonight? A: To be decided.

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Picture the scene. Its 4am and me, "Mr Workaholic on a Saturday night only got to bed two hours earlier" finds himself ambushed by two noisy little baskets; Swan and Rufio. Although I love having a chat, the wee small hours of the morning isn't my favourite time. What I can't understand is why I got out of bed to open the door. Apparently my expression was totally priceless as I pried it open and was bundled into my room. Yeh I bet it was.

Something else has also caught my attention. Yesterday, while I was dressed up for Leon's birthday pub golf (although I didn't go, I entered into the spirit of things), Dizzy asked to all around "Doesn't Andy look sweet?".

Sweet? What? Since when have I been sweet? This echoes two days ago when I was working in my room, head down slicing up some card with a scalpel and Amz walked past the door. The next sound she made was unbelievable. She 'Ahhhhhhed' me. Like 'Ahhhhhh', look at the little baby squirrels rearranging acorns into the words 'I Wuv You'. What's happened? Have I suddenly turned into a fluffy bunny rabbit? Even with a scalpel in my hand do I truly deserve to be patronised like this? WTF?

And it's not even like I have been reading Enid Blyton books or buying pink objects. Just to reiterate, I am a bloke and I do blokey things like drinking beer and watching rugby, not Marvin the Happy Hamster. This better stop before I do something undesirable with that knife.

Yesterday I cracked on with getting some of the CAD work out of the way, but unfortunately it's slow progress. Maybe I'll do some more this afternoon. I have a meeting I'll have to work around where the Materials Crew are coming up at 1pm, but that's the only constraint.

I was well chuffed last night to catch up on three more episodes of The OC. I bloody love that programme.

It's 11.47am. I really need to get up.

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I spent yesterday afternoon in the electronics labs working my way through the latest project, and was pleased to find that I am on track. This new found ability to work has inspired me and, once again, I'm motivated to get on with stuff.

I finally posted my Creative Class application (for some extortionate price due to Special Delivery rates) and that is a weight off my mind and a item ticked off my list of things to do. However this doesn't solve the problems I'm having getting my business finances in order. I want it all squared up by the end of next week.

Naturally being a Friday I headed down to the Union last night. It was Jim's 21st birthday (even though his birthday had been last week) and we had a pre-party/course social in Cognito bar before FND. Jim was given a dirty pint, which took it's toll very quickly, and he was home by 9pm, with the promise of a return later on in the night. I wrote him off at this stage, but in fact I was completely surprised to see him back in the piazza a couple of hours later. Good effort.

I got boozed (that's what a 7 hour stint in the bar does to you) but had a good night all round. Lucy was wondering around dressed as a cow, collecting for her India trip, and the lads turned up later in the night after the usual drinksies around at Broomys.

The worst thing is that tonight is Leon's pub golf, which naturally is going to be messy. It's always hilarious and a good night, so in that respect I'm looking forward to it, but with the number of birthdays/nights out in the next two or three weeks I'm going to be dead.

Fiona's sixth form party at the Medicine Bar, Tuesday. Sean's birthday celebrations, Wednesday.Emma text me yesterday - her party next Saturday. An I know there are more. There is definitely going to be burnout before my birthday in three weeks time, which nicely coincides with exams again. I see the declaration of another Birthweek as a viable solution.

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My printer has been throwing out copies of my portfolio pieces for the Ideasfactory Creative Class competition all day, but still I haven't got a full set of decent prints. Damn paper feed. I really need to pack it all off tomorrow in order for it to arrive by the deadline on Monday. Tony gave me the all clear so at least that's one less thing to follow up before it can all go off.

Apart from this minor hiccough with hardware - everything else concerning things electrical is much better. The new kit turned up last night and I can now confirm exactly what I got (it was a bit of a mystery until I opened the box). Neil has sorted me out with a Radeon 9800 XT 256MB which is awesome with a capital AWESOME. The thing makes Photoshop fly and I have been able to replace my two old cards with this one new one. Well chuffed.

The second item was a 200GB external Seagate hard drive. I have been so sloppy with backups in the past, but this gives me no excuse now as it's as simple as the press of a button. I still haven't quite got the hang of the settings yet, but it looks cool anyway.

Tim won The Apprentice as I had hoped, and the final episode made for compulsive viewing. The talk show after was also good, and I got the impression that Sir Alan was genuinely pleased to have hired him. Also good news with the revelation of a second series already on the cards - and 'Shugsy' is doing it.

Voted today. I got nabbed by the Lib Dem candidate as I was going into lunch (I didn't realise it was him until I picked up one of the leaflets he had been handing out which were abandoned all over the tables in the dining hall). It's funny, I would not honestly be surprised if their claim (on the leaflet) that 44% of all students will be voting for them is true or is exceeded. General consensus has been very pro-them, not only from Lufbra, but from mates elsewhere. I for one would be pleased if they got this seat.

I spent over 20 minutes on the phone today trying to sort out the Echos domain name, only to be told to phone another number. I was absolutely over-the-moon about this of course. My expenses really are adding up considerably doing this; it is taking far longer than I had hoped and/or expected.

This is why I'm looking forward to tomorrow, I haven't had a decent night out since the Monday before last. Wow. That really is a ridiculously long time.

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