Ishmael Dreaming

 Excitement, for today William and Kate's engagement was announced!

They seem very happy and well matched, so congrats and best wishes to them :D



...somehow this translates to me as a very good excuse to reread Drastically Redefining Protocol :P


But oh my god, I am so behind on my Nano, I must get back to it. Crazy teenagers aren't going to discover magic and have adventures and make out on their own, now are they. 

I just had a major scare, where I think virus fake anti-virus thing installed itself, told me I had loads of crap, tried to force me to give it credit card details, then I couldn't turn it off, I couldn't delete it, it took over the background of my desktop, it was trying to intimidate me... ARGH.

I restored the system and I think its ok now. But I was seriously panicking. My beautiful baby in trouble! It seriously freaked me out.

In other news...

I bought my Hebrew textbook, and have started to learn the alphabet. Alphabets should not be complicated. But this alphabet-- well. There are no vowels. I don't even know how to begin to learn to pronounce a language which HAS NO VOWELS. Perhaps I can think about it like txtspk, maybe that will help. There are three different s s s. And some of the letter look pretty similar. Oh, and I know they have this in Greek as well, but when people do this ' and expect me to know what that sounds like... well, I'm sorry, but I don't.

I mean, I know I'll get it if I just focus and then when I get to Cambridge I'll probably wish to be learning something as ridculously simple. But still. I already know the Greek alphabet. And absolutely everyone else in the appropriate facebook group is taking Greek. And I dunno, I kinda wonder why I picked Hebrew in the first place, am I just making life more difficult for no particular reason? Originally, I had my heart set on learning Arabic and reading the Koran and wouldn't that be awesome? But then I was concerned that Arabic doesn't seem to have any supervisions, plus no Qu'ranic study modules until next year, whereas I am taking both the OT and NT modules available this year. But again, why exactly have I turned away from Greek? I mean, I think I thought Greek was boring. But now, I'm starting to think, well, maybe I'd rather read the NT than the OT anyway. Hebrew??? Sounds really cool, but honestly - why???

*sigh* Maybe all this will come to nothing. Clearly I like double guessing myself.

I got another big pack of stuff from Pembroke, but as of yet nothing fun - it was serious stuff outlining bills and rules and stuff. But at least I now know my room number and my rent etc, so I then spent a while making an accounts spreadsheet trying to figure out budgets and estimate how much I might need for food etc, try to see how much I'll have at the end of the year.

Oh and also, Sarah Rees Brennan wrote another part of her Big Idea stories, which give back story for characters from her debut The Demon's Lexicon. This one is about Marie, Daniel and Olivia, who I particularly adore. Some people in the fandom expressed less than love for Olivia, but to me I find her extraodrinary, amazing; I adore her as a character and kinda would love to have a chat with her as a person. I mean, I have much love for Daniel and Marie as well, of course. I mean, clearly I adore every single character Sarah writes. (OMG I love Seb McFarlane SO MUCH he is utterly wonderful and excellent). I really can't help this. They are so beautiful, and I don't mean physically. Beautiful and rounded and whole. And so I adore them.

Anyway. There are no spoilers for The Demon's Lexicon, and this stands alone. So anyone that has maybe seen me raving about it should read it, get a feel for sarah's writing and beautiful character crafting, and then if they like it they should definitely read The Demon's Lexicon. It is The Arundel Tomb and everyone should read it.
 

So yes. Everybody read that. Because it rocks, Olivia rocks (Seb McFarlane rocks), Sarah rocks.

I really haven't been very sociable the last couple of days. A couple, I just stayed in my pjs all day. So much of my future, of my life is on hold. I think about it, what clothes I'll take, what societies I'll join, and some things I have two parallel plans for - how frugal I have to be, what, other than Theology, I'll study, whether I'll look for a job. In my diary, I have two sets of dates for shows penciled in, depending on what city I'll be in at that month.

It was nice today to meet up with my friend C - I haven't seen her since our school leaving Ball, over a month ago now, and we wailed about such things together. We could go to Cambridge together, or we could be separated by, I dunno, 100 miles I guess, maybe more. At least with some of my friends, I know they'll be far away from me. We try not to talk about what we'd do there if we both get in but its tricky, things slip out and then I feel weird. She'll get in easy, and so will a couple of my other friends, and then there's me and ok a couple of other people for whom its really uncertain. Its killing to know that everyone else - the university, ucas, our school - already know.

But yes. It was lovely, casual, normal and relaxing to meet her and trail around some shops, like we've done a hundred times before. I haven't really shopped, except a pilmgrimage to H&M last weekend when I was in London, since before exams, and maybe I'm a complete girl that's been ruined by a consumerist society, but it is nice to shop. Really, to find something that looks really nice and you can actually afford and you can think of several ways you could wear it. It doesn't always help if I'm depressed or miserable, but as a way to spend an afternoon, generally, highly recommended. Aaah. I'm also highly considering blowing more money than I would spend in a shop on a couple of T-shirts of tinternet and the shipping costs. I just want them, ok? I'm going to be living in jeans and T-shirts, so clearly I will need T-shirts, and I think I can justify an extra £20 if they make me smile when I have nothing else in my approaching life of poverty. That's my list; a laptop, chocolate and some nice T-shirts. That's all I need to live on.

And tomorrow, I get to see some fishies! I'll have to actually get out of bed at a normal time to get to London, but I'm sure it will be excellent fun, and I hope the weather forecast holds.

But, I don't know. My life is about to take a big change, whatever happens. I guess its kinda like being on a rollercoster that pauses at the top of a huge drop. We've been climbing this for years and years, and our exams were months ago, and we can see the edge before the fall and the twists and turns that everyone has said is really exciting and fun, but honestly just look pretty scary here. And I'm stuck here, paused, for another 2 and a half days. It's agonising.

I've picked my laptop though. I'm still checking a couple more websites to see whether I can get it the same but cheaper anywhere, but I'm pretty happy with the price and model I''ve found already, so I think I'll order it soon. I'd like to get it before September preferably, because I want to do some serious writing in September.

I need to look up student bank accounts. God, can I please just be a student already? I clearly think I am.

I suspect in hindsight, this will turn out to be one of the stranger times in my life.

I tried to make another long post about my thoughts on Torchwood Children of Earth Day 5, and about the whole thing over all, but I couldn't really. I have so many fragments of thoughts, on such a variety of subjects and I haven't been able to make it coherent yet. Maybe I'll keep trying. Basically, I liked what they did with Jack but little else. I hated what they did with Ianto, but most other things I didn't hate so much as feel incredibly disappointed and irritated by them. Perhaps, like with a favourite teacher, its a worse reaction for me to be disappointed than really angry. I expect I probably will have to discuss it further here.

But, non Torchwood things!

On Friday night, it was my school leaving Ball. I was a little worried about how it would go, but everything was fine, though it was a little annoying the bar wouldn't sell us spirits ;) We all went clubbing afterward of course, but I didn't stay out too late, got home about 2ish. And then I watched Torchwood. OK, don't judge me, I swear I meant that to be a non Torchwood thing. Basically, last school student event went nicely - everyone looked gorgeous and laughed and danced a lot, including our teachers, the food was good and we had a great time!

( Yesterday, I went to a Leonard Cohen concert )
And, this morning, I have been given a couple of Dreamwidth invite codes! If anyone would like one, let me know!

This week has been quite full, especially since it seemed to be filled without me really noticing. Today I think I might do very little, to welcome the beginning of my summer holidays proper, well, properly.

or revising, if I have to be awake. But NOOOOO. Because I utterly fail at revision. But, I totally win at pancakes, so there. There is balance in the world.

I'm in the middle of my mock exams. Yesterday I had two RS papers. Tomorrow I have one scary giant three hour paper. Thursday two English papers, Friday three politics papers, followed by muchos alcohol. [Which, if you were wondering, does NOT improve revision and therefore should be consumed AFTER exams and not on Monday afternoons when one is supposed to be rereading Paradise Lost.] Today was my only entirely free day. I told myself I would do LOADS of Politics revision [MASSIVE SUBJECT] with a bit of Hamlet thrown in to spice it up.

Did. Not. Happen.

Revised about half a unit of Politics [EU- eurgh, more like], didn't touch Hamlet.

Instead, surfed around tinternet, reread an actual book or too, watched four most recent episodes of Heroes, improvised and made beautiful, excellent pancakes, watched Juno.

BTW, new Heroes episodes, besides not really having anything to do with "Villians" volume seem much much better- THANK GOD. I really lost all faith and hope there along the way, but the pacing is better, the actions of the characters fairly reasonable etc. It's really rather looking up, which is terrific. Am soooo shipping Sylar/Luke btw, now that I have actually discovered who Luke is, and also totally rediscovering Nathan/Peter hoyay. So, if this is the good that comes out of Pushing Daisies being cancelled, then thank you crazy people that keep cancelling popular shows.

Randomly, two friends both proclaiming how much they loved Lily Allen's new album simultaneously through the medium of Facebook. I feel strangely possessive of this album; where were they last week when I was all excited and squeeing and nobody cared, hmm? Pssh. [NB; am not actually possessive of album. Share the love!]

Adore the Merlin/Arthur fanvids of Solanyxe, especially "Popular" and "La La". Playing them often- they are seriously good, not only for the slashy goodness [and oh! what hot, gorgeous, slashy goodness exists therein!] but the editing and clip selection is very very good.

Finally, am very glad that Kai Owen is now going to be at the Hub after worries that he had to cancel, now he's back on board. :D Gah, two and a half weeks away!

This last week the UK cannot stop talking about the snow. I swear, since Saturday. We got some snow Sunday night/Monday morning- it didn't look like there was enough to stop school but there was enough to a) look pretty b) be annoying c) make me get a god awful cold.

So, went to school Monday, which included Mr P shouting at people frolicking in the snow when they were supposed to be in lessons, and M, our outgoing Head Girl, was keen to give them detentions. My head started hurting about lunchtime. By the time I got home just before 4 I felt so crappy I just took some painkillers and crawled into bed. Got up again a bit later but that was mainly so I could sleep later on. Took Tuesday off with more painkillers even though there was no new snow. Yesterday went back to school, earlier than necessary to see the out going prefects assembly (Awww!). I was feeling ok when I left the house except for popping strepsils, but again didn't feel great by the end of the day, just m face was aching and twinging and argh...

There's been more snow over night- it looks like theres been quite a bit more than the other day, though it isn't still snowing, whereas on Monda it was continuing to snow pretty much all day, and school is closed (YAY!) though I still have this rubbish cold. So, a mixed bag really.

I GOT AN OFFER FROM CAMBRIDGE!!!

Ecstatic hardly begins to cover it.

:D

I have had such a crappy week, its freaking unbelievable.

I have something awesome. My friend FINALLY gave it to me. But, I'm so so thrilled to have it that I can't actually bring myself to start it. God, I'm so excited. She gave it to me and I hugged it to my chest and my knees gave out slightly, so I slid down to sitting leaning against some lockers, grinning massively. I've been excited, giggly and a tiny bit paranoid all day. In fact, I still am. SQUEEEEE!!!

I think m face is a tin bit sun burnt, but I had fun yesterday on the punt. Later today I have my first written exam, Critical Thinking. I hope it's ok.