Christmas Party Photos

Fionn Regan

Last night some of us went to the Fionn Regan concert in Islington at Union Chapel. It was such a great venue and not what i expected at all. It was small and initmate and dark with a beautiful stained glass window above the stage. We crammed into church pews and listened to beautiful mellow music and stories about being attacked by ostriches and warnings not to piss on electric fences, before watching fionn fall off the stage. It was wonderful to tip my head back and listen to the music bounce around the dome above my head. At first i was slightly distracted by the hairstyle of fionn regan which kept reminding me of luke skywalker's hair in episode IV.In a room upstairs there was a bar which maintained the dim lighting. It was wonderful to sit with my friends with a glass of mulled wine, soaking in the atmosphere, nestled in the shadows and just feel absolutely content. We have reached the end of the term and we are a step closer to qualification.

My version of events

Esther sometimes blogs about the people she sees and who or what she imagines they might be. Her latest subject can be read about here. Below is my alternative insight into this stranger...

(to be read in some indefinable, unplaceable, foreign accent)

Day one on new job as international spy (well maybe not so international, they have stuck me in cold and wet Belfast, but musn’t complain). Where was I?...Day one and I am on the bus on my way to my rendez-vous with Legrand Bouche, my contact over here. It is my mission to find out who has been selling all our secrets (like my recipe for grilled cheese sandwhiches, I recognised it in that new cookbook Bouche gave me in the secret santa). I have chosen my teacher disguise and I have placed my mission plans inside this book ‘the state of Africa’ so no one will realise what I am actually reading. One minute, what is that woman looking at? Out of the corner of my eye I can see that she keeps looking over here. She is trying to be surreptitious but I know a spy when I see one! That isn’t an ipod! It’s a death ray! (why don’t I get one of those? What do I get? A bloody cookbook.). Aha! She is looking out the window I will get out quickly at the next stop before she can stop me. Oh no! She is looking my way! Stay calm, pretend to be a teacher, think like a teacher; Get out of my way you stupid schoolboys!

That was close, but she may get off at the next stop and double back. I must find somewhere to get lost for a little while. I wonder if there are any of those ‘European nightclubs” like in Alias, I could wear my Jennifer Garner disguise…

Christmas celebrations

Friday night was our christmas meal. We all seemed to have been looking forward to it for so long; getting through the last few weeks by thinking of a weekend when we can all let loose. It was a great time and it was lovely for us all to be together and relaxed. The food was great, the company even better. Afterwards we went to revolution for a boogie and it seemed all of esther's weirdo's were gathered in one room. I felt like telling a few of them that they were in the wrong place "esther's in N. Ireland" but i don't think they would have heard me over the music. Later as we sat in the SLT house we wondered if all men get like that when pissed. Do the nice guys we know, when out in an all male group and after a few drinks, get like that? Decide it's okay to go up to a group of women and grope them? Did those guys really think that a leer and a wink will make it okay?

Sunday (after a long lie in) we went to watch the rugby (London Irish v Ulster). It was great (at times it was like watching a wildlife documentary when rhinos charge into each other) London Irish won. (esther, your accent was everywhere last night, maybe thats why the weirdos were so confused and unable o home in on you) Helen and I were caught on camera doing the warm up dance (a photo of this will be put up here at some point). It felt like winter last night, crisp and cold. We walked home quickly and huddled on the sofa in our pyjamas and blankets eating pizza, drinking wine and watching cocktail. We laughed at the thought of tom cruise standing on orange crates for kissing scenes and talked about our favourite cocktails. Work seemed very far away.

Curiosity killed the cat...

The future of speech and language therapy

As i sat in the living room last night, trying to get some reading done, i became aware of a noise as if people were jumping up and down on the floor somewhere above me. I chose to ignore it, determined to finish reading the article on cochlear implants. After about 15 seconds the noise stopped and i continued with my work. Then a few moments later the noise started again and this time i could hear laughter (don't worry i'm not imagining things and hearing voices...well no more than usual). I tried to keep my resolve not to be disturbed from my work but this time curiosity got the better of me and i abandoned my work and went to investigate.

...but satisfaction brought it back.

I started to climb the stairs up to the first floor but i saw nothing to explain the noise so i turned the corner and looked up the second flight of steps and saw Laura jumping and dancing around on the landing between her and siobhan's rooms. I could faintly hear music drifting from Laura's room. I asked her what was going on but i received no reply then the song hit the chorus, Laura jumped down into a crouch and Gemma and Shiv emerged from the rooms to either side of her, jazz hands out and then they jumped back out of sight. The dancing/jumping continued and the girls continued to emerge from the rooms on the chorus, big grins on their faces. This went on for awhile and Rachel attempted to take a photo but they would not stay still long enough.

Bits N Pieces

Last night, after an educational viewing of Trinny and Susannah's show on ITV, my housemates started talking about the parts of their bodies they hate and what they would change. You would realise how ridiculous this is if you saw the them because they are all of them good looking women. I think they need to be more Gestaltian in their thinking and realise the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. More importantly, they are some of the nicest people i have ever met. They are generous and kind, hard working (most of the time), fun and supportive. I have been very lucky to live in this house and i shall miss what we have here (but i am still looking forward to the end of this year).

The Cult of the Inner Banana

Unleash your Inner Banana

Just a little nod to Keele days.

Escape and beyond

I did escape the house in the end, as you may have guessed (or perhaps you thought i was stuck in the house all weekend and was forced to eat my own leg to stave off hunger and put a match to my clothes to gain warmth. This did not happen but it might have).

It was Amy's birthday celebrations at the weekend (so sorry i almost forgot to turn up, well i actually i did forget so thank you for the text). It was lovely to see her, Lammie and Rachel and catch up. I think i go slightly hyper when i see more than one uni friend at a time, i think perhaps my mind is confused and thinks i am 21 again and crazy (obviously i am now mature and sensible and talk about grown up things with grown up people and don't talk about unleashing bananas).

I went to the scissor sisters concert at Wembley Arena yesterday. There was glitter, dancing, glitter, high waisted trousers, glitter, flashing bunny ears and more glitter. They certainly put on a good show and i got the feeling that they were enjoying themselves so much they would have quite happily have performed even without an audience.

I have only three weeks left of term. I will make it to Christmas even if i have drag my battered mind over the broken glass of these final days and fall bloody and whimpering in the rags of my weakened sanity.

Have a good week people!

Kiss kiss.

Trapped (the update)

The lock now works from the outside. Gemma's window is now the exit and the front door is just for entering the house.

Our neighbours think we are mad.

We couldn't get out the back gate because it is too overgrown, so we spent some moments in contemplation of the next door neighbour's garden wondering if they would mind if we climbed over and knocked on their kitchen window.

Us: "Hello! We're from next door."
Neighbours: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

Then Gemma realised we could escape out her window.

Trapped

I am locked in my house.

I cannot believe this is happening to me but the lock on the front door will not budge. I now have to wait for the locksmith to arrive to free me. I am trapped on the inside and no one else can get in.

Don't forget me word! i am still here. Just slip food parcels through the letterbox (i think only chocolate bars will fit through but i will cope) and little messages of love and encouragement, bringing me news of the outside world.

Somehow, it makes sense that this should happen to me, who else? At least i am warm in here and i have my blog as a way to reach out to my loved ones.

If the front door doesn't open i may have to climb over the back fence and escape through the cemetery (i might wait until morning though).

The Return of the SLT Student

I'm back in Reading and i have moved into the SLT house. The first week of final year is over and i am feeling slightly dazed. I am confused and stressed and i have lost count of the number of times i have said "i can't wait for this year to be over." It is hard to believe that in a years time (hopefully) I will be qualified and working (if they unfreeze the posts) as an SLT. Will there be a job for me at the end? is it the future for all SALT to become private?

The house is working out well and is really rather nice for a student house although it still has a few very studenty characteristics like the electricity cutting out when the washing machine goes into a fast spin.

this isn't a very interesting post but it is just my "hello again" to the world of blog.

Leaving Sibly

I can't sleep tonight so I have decided to blog about leaving Sibly. Tomorrow I am moving into my new house in Reading. Most of my stuff has been moved out of my room here and is now in storage at my parents; I am living in a near empty room with a few boxes and bags of things I will move to st barth tomorrow. A lot of people moved out of the hall today and i feel a bit like i have stumbled onto the mary celeste. I feel like i should have moved out today. It's like sitting alone in a cinema after the movie has finished.

Right! now i am bloody angry! some bloody stupid idiots on a floor below me are throwing glass bottles out of their window! How bloody inconsiderate, someone else is going to have to clear that up.

Now i really wish i wasn't still here.

29 June 2006

When i woke up this morning i did not realise that today would turn out to be so important to me. if i had not been so caught up in packing up all my wordly goods i may have noticed it creeping up.

The first one was finished today and although things may change i will always remember today i looked at it in its first flush of youth and i am making it happen.

Dreams can come true.

Survivors

We have survived the first year of the MSc course (and now trying not to think about the second year).

Moving Amy

Lammie and I oversaw Amy packing to make sure it got done. Unfortunately it was hotter than hell in that attic and we were tortured by the presence of two electrical fans which didn't work.

I documented the move with my camera whilst Lammie actually did something practical and helpful.

The return of the grad ball handbag was perhaps a little overwhelming for Amy.

Ranting

Rant No. 1
For the love of all that is holy people! are you trying to lose people from this course? Give us a little support here! Give Rachel back her 10%!

Rant No. 2
Rude people in supermarkets who push pass you to get to the tomatoes without saying excuse me or apologising. I was tempted to throw myself to the floor like a football player and roll around screaming that she had thrown me to the floor just because she couldn't get to the produce quick enough.

Rant No. 3
Why does my brother have to steal my mother for babysitting duties on the very day i need help moving house? How is that fair? Don't expect to be invited round for tea anytime soon!

That's enough

s**t f**k b****r f**k s**t ^*%^%$£"%*@^%$@£"$%@@*£"@@"$%^?<@^%$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the presentation did not go well.

I passed at least but i hated the feedback because i knew what it would say. i know i am bad at presentations, i don't do public speaking (unless it is in a completely social setting after i have had a few drinks and i am standing on a table. but moving on). I am feeling completely and utterly useless, i did not want to go to that seminar this afternoon because all i could think about was how bloody awful i was. I keep expecting them at some point to take me to one side and recommend to me quietly that i should drop the course. I got my neurology marks back today and i got 85%. Such news would normally feel me with joy but it is overshadowed by my bloody poor presentation.

Anyway in other news I have definitely got the milton keynes placement and i'm just waiting to hear the actual dates of it.

Now i am going to get myself away from this computer and this room because for the next few days i shall be holed up here trying to get an essay done for friday, but for the rest of today i am going to go out and enjoy the sunshine. hasta luego.

I am a bad aunt. Today is Hayden's christening in Loddon (no, i have spelt that correctly, it is in Norfolk) and i couldn't go because i have too much work on. sorry kiddo but i will always be there for you if you really needed me, if you were sick or in trouble. When you are a teenager (or younger because remember you're a Considine) and completely hammered and need to hide from your parents, i will be there to provide you with a place of refuge. You will also be grateful that there is one less person to remind you of how you screamed at the christening and threw up on the vicar (or something similar). I change my mind, I am a wonderful aunt. Love you kiddo.

A little sea-bathing would set me up forever!

Yesterday some of us went on a road trip to Brighton.

It took us four hours to get there because the M25 was closed due to an accident and i had lead everyone on a guided tour of surrey trying to find an alternative route; unfortunately many other people were doing this.