All entries for December 2004

New Year!

Well, almost new year. And frankly, it hasn't been a bad one. I mean, it's had its moments, to be honest, when I thought the world was going to cave in and all was lost and generally bad things were going to happen.

But that's because I am a bit of a drama queen.

I'm incredibly blessed, I have so much. I have friends who are the most amazingly wonderful people in the world.

You know the kind. The ones that you can talk to for hours and not notice.
The ones who get you Harry Potter stuff though they've never read the books.
The ones who you have all those really bizarre in-jokes with.
The kind who spend ages trying to find a film to suit a very wide range of tastes, so that everyone has fun.
The kind who will drop everything when you have a crisis.

The kind of friend I want to be. And the kind of friends I'm fortunate enough to have.

• * * * * *

And I'm packed to come back. Under my weight allowance too, which is quite a feat, if I do say so myself.

I'm looking forward to it to, sad to say. I have most of my homework done. Most. :)

Happy new year, everybody. May it be full of really cool stuff and as many solutions as problems. :)

: 31 Dec 2004 19:58 |  Tags: Christian Randomness |  Comments (11) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Dear Mathew

Follow-up to Dear Me version 2.0 from The Exegesis Fairy

Dear Mathew,

In the words of the inimitable Dan, "Two words. Blog. Social."

A blog social will mean that it no longer matters if you are a social outcast, socially retarded etc etc.

Because the people there will be fellow bloggers, and therefore they won't notice. Seeing as most of us are as socially aware as a piece of Stilton anyway, you'll fit right in!

: 29 Dec 2004 11:29 |  Tags: Tea And Sympathy |  Comments (13) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

But you're…ummm…

Writing about What an odd combination from Dan Lawrence's Blog

It's been the last three years now. Ever since I decided Engineering was the degree for me (Lower Sixth, if you're interested) I've got the same comment.

"Oh…well, that's unusual for a girl/probably won't be too many girls doing that/but you're a girl!"

Are we sensing a theme?

Yes, assorted relations and family friends. In case it has escaped your notice for the last eighteen years I am in fact of the female gender.

You wouldn't think this would be a difficult concept, would you?

Apparently though, it really is.

Rather like my love of computer games. Male friends profess amazement when I'm asked my favourite computer game and I reply 'GTA: Vice City, I think. Though San Andreas is pretty good too, i haven't really played it much.'

Yes, I understand it's strange. Not cos I'm a girl, but because I'm (apparently, they don't know me very well) not very violent.

Which is…not exactly true.

And I'm a Christian and I don't really swear.

Which is true.

And in GTA they swear a LOT.

Which is also true.

And shoot people. And drug smuggle. And blow up cars and drive extremely unsafely to boot.

Ah well.

: 26 Dec 2004 22:13 |  Tags: Deranged Ramblings |  Comments (10) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Dear Stephen

Follow-up to Dear Me version 2.0 from The Exegesis Fairy

Dear Stephen,

I sympathise, I do. I know how hard it is to have an addiction to…er…the b word.

However, there are several steps you can take.

1) Avoid all contact with fellow bl*ggers as they will seek to draw you back into their devious web.

2) What did I just say? Go on, shoo!

3) Are you still reading? Go rediscover your social life!

4) If you had one before anyway.

5) I'll stop now.

: 26 Dec 2004 19:42 |  Tags: Tea And Sympathy |  Comments (5) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Dear Michael

Follow-up to Dear Me version 2.0 from The Exegesis Fairy

Dear Michael,

I am very sorry to hear about your car, and I am wholly sympathetic to your dilemma. However, fixing your own car is not the best idea, especially if you don't really know what you're doing. You could end up with paint bubbles and a complete respray if you're not careful, so I say leave it to the experts (unless they cost too much. You are a student after all.)

And if I were you I would ditch the girlfriend.

: 26 Dec 2004 13:56 |  Tags: Tea And Sympathy |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Stuff Winterval, Happy Christmas!

Hey! I know, everybody will have to be reading this entry when they aren't having their own wonderful Christmas/Hanukkah/winter solstice/ whatever celebrations.

But you gotta make an entry on Christmas Day, right?

Anyways, today ranked pretty high in my Christmases. I got good presents. I ate a 20 oz steak instead of the obligatory turkey. I got a white Christmas, and I learned to drive in snow!

Go me.

What really peeves me is that I can perfectly happily go around yelling Merry Christmas and God bless you all at the top of my lungs.

But elsewhere everything's all the PC and therefore a bit useless 'Season's greetings' or whatever.

Not I'm not averse to political correctness per se. I just think that celebrating the day my Saviour came into the world isn't hurting anyone. And therefore wishing people a Merry Christmas even if they don't celebrate it, isn't going to do them an awful lot of harm. Being wished a Happy Hanukkah, for example, ain't gonna offend me. Though I think I may have spelled it wrong, so I might offend someone else. You never know.

Sides, I always get concerned when people talk about the true meaning of Christmas and leave out the God part entirely. I always thought that yeah, Christmas is a time for family. But the whole reason I celebrate it is cos I celebrate the coming of Jesus into the world. 'Lo, there in a manger lies/He who built the starry skies' and that kind of thing.

Still, what do I know. Sides which, I reckon Ebenezer Scrooge had it right post-Christmas-conversion-type-thing. "I will keep Christmas…in my heart the whole year." Or words to that effect. Maybe that should be my resolution. Or not resolution, as I have explained. Other thing.

Anyways, a merry Christmas to all, and I wish for you a very happy and peaceful new year. See y'all soon.

: 25 Dec 2004 19:17 |  Tags: Llois |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

My New Year's Resolutions…but not.

I'm sure you're just dying to know them, aren't you?

Well, aren't you?

No? Excellent. That suggests to me that you Have A Life. Whether or not you do have one is probably subject to conjecture, but it's nice to appear that you do.

Anyway.

This year I am going to do something different to all the other years. In that I am not going to resolve anything exactly. New Year's Resolutions have always filled me with the kind of dread I normally reserve for family occasions.

I won't resolve to do something; I just will.

And there are, I think, three things. Pray more – simply cos life goes better when I do. Proven fact. Proven by me anyway, and I'm the only one I really have to convince.

Second: meditate more. As it helps me fall asleep when I'm too stressed to string a sentence together.

And third: complain less. And that is going to be the hardest one. Not that it should be hard to complain less than I do presently. Any reduction would be an improvement. I'm just a naturally moany person, as my blog will tell you.

Either way, New year's resolutions are a bit…infrequent, I always thought. I mean, once a year? Surely you should be reevaluating your life and priorities a bit more than that. Like once every couple of months or so.

Normally I end up reevaluating my priorities when I have nothing else to do. Or when I have revision to avoid.

Never mind. I resolved in 2003 not to make any more new year's resolutions. And it may just be cos I renamed them, but I'm very proud I managed it.

: 23 Dec 2004 18:09 |  Tags: Llois |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Dear Nicholas H

Follow-up to Dear Me version 2.0 from The Exegesis Fairy

Dear Nick,

My, there are a lot of Nicholases about, aren't there?

Anyway.

While the return of Mountain Dew to GB or indeed the UK is a fine ambition, I reckon you need to draw attention to it on your blog, then go comment on a lot of other people's, tracking back to the post even if it has nothing to do with it.

Of course, this will probably get you thrown off WBs and quite rightly so, so I really don't recommend it.

Stick up posters around campus. Or get on the TV and rally people around your noble cause.

Fight the power! :)

: 21 Dec 2004 14:50 |  Tags: Tea And Sympathy |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Dear Visiting Atheist

Follow-up to Dear Me version 2.0 from The Exegesis Fairy

Dear Visiting Atheist,

It's easy. If you want to remember what you came upstairs for, simply go back downstairs again, and wander about for a minute or two thinking about nothing in particular.

Then it will come to you in a blinding flash of inspiration.

And besides, you probably came up for a pair of scissors or a book. That's what I'm always looking for anyway.

: 21 Dec 2004 13:52 |  Tags: Tea And Sympathy |  Comments (5) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Dear Max (2)

Follow-up to Dear Max from The Exegesis Fairy

Dear Max,

Recrystallisation or sublimation? Oh, the eternal dilemma.

I'm glad you still have your eyebrows, by the way.

My advice in this case would be: guess. Or, even better, do both.

Like I said, if you lose your eyebrows, not my fault. :)

: 21 Dec 2004 13:43 |  Tags: Tea And Sympathy |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem