Posts (page 3)
I'm awaiting the outcome of a funding application that could decide my future. No exagerration. This will decide whether I go down the academic or non-academic route from here. I first began the process of applying back in November (or was it October?), then went to the mentor university with my developing proposal, gained their approval, and we applied together for the funding in what eventually came to be the last week of March. Even by then, I'm sure you can imagine, I was becoming a bit stir-crazy about the outcome. That was almost three months ago, and the initial advice of the funder was that it could take three months... or longer... to decide. I'd really like an outcome any day now, so it really, really doesn't help that their website now advises a fourteen week minimum wait and puts far more emphasis upon the minimum than before. Anything up to 22 weeks. And let's not even get started on my hope to sell this flat and move cities before I start rather than face a two hour commute.
This could truly decide my future. If I don't crack before I hear. Gah.
What's your best quality?
Patience, tolerance, and unerring optimism.
Nah, just kidding.
What did you learn in kindergarten that you wish you did a better job of applying to the way you live your life today?
The absolute, Earth-shattering importance of writing bendy-topped r's rather than straight-topped r's. I'm so glad I was kept in detention (and I was usually far too good a girl to usually be kept in detention, so I knew it had to be serious) so I could learn this lesson through my tears.
The other thing I learned was what it looked like inside a boy's pants. I must say, this one has come in more useful in my adult life.
I recently found out that Big Boy's aunt is coming to stay in a few months time. Not one of his aunts who I really like, but the one that I - and anyone else who's quite sensible - really, really dislike. The woman has no charm, and to prove it I'll list some of her less pleasing attributes:
a) She disagrees with human rights legislation on the grounds that it is "arrogant to god" and argues that we humans should just wait until "he returns to Earth and fixes things".
b) She is immensely self-important and arrogant. Naturally she is then prone to clashing with anyone else who has half an opinion, and I have loads. Thankfully I choose not to engage.
c) She dislikes me just as much, I am sure, as she dislikes everyone else (you should see her around her sisters) yet insists on coming up behind me and stroking my hair. I find this even harder to swallow than that kissy kissy to say hello thing that jars so much with my Welsh/Northern upbringing and which has become so popular in recent years. This is not least because it's so completely false and intrusive, and no one who knows me even a bit would usually dare.
d) She eats slower than I have ever seen anyone eat in my entire life. I once bought her fish and chips and long after I'd finished I had to watch her (whilst we were talking) slowly dragging chips out of the paper packet like a tramp or an old gummy man, which reminded me of watching Steptoe and Son. The only other person who I know eats this slowly is my niece, who (likewise) does it for attention. I actually cannot believe how slowly she eats. It absolutely staggers me.
When I read the email that she's coming for five days later this year I was in shock. She's coming to Europe on a 'sabbatical' (she's not even in academia). I strongly suspect that Big Boy's going to get ear ache behind the scenes...
I set myself two incentive goals during my first main stage of dieting. The first was to go to the Big Easy in Kensington for frozen margherita, lobster and chips, when I got to 11 stone 7. By the time this became convenient I was already on my way to my next milestone and so I gave it a miss. Then 11 stone, which I got to on Saturday morning (okay, I got to 11 stone, 0.4lbs but who's counting?) is known as "necklace weight". I saw a beautiful piece of costume jewellery in Spitalfields market at Christmas when I was buying something for my sister and decided I just had to have it as my treat as long later as June. The flaw in this plan is obvious.
So now, for when I get to ten stone, 7 lbs I'm setting myself a new target. I just don't know what yet. I really want a lovely necklace to replace the one I'd planned and might have to keep looking, but for now I'm a tad forlorn that the only thing I've got to show for 5 months of dieting thus far is a skinnier waist and smaller everything else. Which is good and everything, but I really just want something that shines.
Suggestions are very much welcome on where I can find something terribly pretty and under £50.
Incidentally "my necklace" was a big silver rosebud necklace - so daft and so unable to go with anything that I didn't stretch to it at Christmas, but which in retrospect was simply fabulous.
If you had to write your autobiography in 6 words, what would you write?
Submitted by mitzie.
"Even Jordon's more interesting than this."
(Am I the only one tempted slightly to at least browse her biography/probably-not-autobiography? I wish someone would leave it in my doctor's waiting room like all of the Take a Breaks, etc.)
I know I shouldn't joke, and I know that there was apparently something very serious happening at that children's home in Jersey that's under suspicion, but every time I hear that more children's teeth have been uncovered there I think "well there's a surprise". I suspect that if I were to pull my parent's home apart - and for that matter the home of every parent in the world - I'd find a few teeth hidden about. And it's not even those that we should be concerned about - it's those wonky ones about to fall out of children's mouths but somehow hanging on - it's those that make me shudder. Thoughts of cotton tied to door handles (did anyone actually dare to use this technique), teeth that turn full circle ready to be pulled, and gummy bloody mouths afterwards, they're the things that get me. Not teeth being found scattered where children have been - they're the least of my worries.
I started at krav maga on Monday, which is a form of self-defence taught to the Israeli special services and so is pretty hard core. I'm taught to fend off varieties of attacks, and learned what to do if ever held to the wall with a knife against my throat, how to avoid a punch to the head, what to do if someone's trying to strangle me, how to avoid being headbutted, etc. In fact, for a first lesson we covered a lot. It was quite complicated as I had to learn many combinations of moves to fend off different attacks, but it'll all become quite intuitive over time I'm sure.
Best of all, doing krav maga means that for almost two hours I get to work with sweaty, macho men (including - and indeed mostly - Big Boy) and throw them hard to the ground. or get thrown to the ground by them. Which is pretty fantastic by my books.
I'm thinking that on the basis of how I have had enough today, and because I'm feeling down about my family (oh woe is me) I might not be as excited as I could be if I manage to lose weight by tomorrow (who am I kidding?) I might, if I try hard enough, be able to convince myself to have a slice of Curly Wurly Cake from Konditor and Cook.
I can't decide if I'll be comforted by comfort eating or if - given my four month diet thus far - it'll make me feel worse. I don't think I'm going to do it. But I might. What a stupid place to put a Konditor and Cook, right by my work.
Show us the loveliest flower in your garden.
Submitted by Allio's blog.
Ha ha ha.
