Hello.

Uni

First day at uni wasn't until Thursday the 10th of April. Had an advocacy test in the morning between nine and ten, which I thought went quite well actually although my opening line and my closing line both fell over a little bit.

Also since term began I've written an essay and most of my dissertation. One of the reasons I haven't been writing blogs much is because I have been busy with these things. Since Thursday the 10th of April I have been having to write approximately 1000 words per day, and will continue to do so until tomorrow or the day after. Yes, that's 12- or 13,000 words in total (excluding Sundays, on which I don't work). That's made up from an essay for Tort Law and... my dissertation. The essay went alright. I did 1000 on the Thursday and 1500 on the Friday, took the Saturday off to do odd jobs and go to Karen's party, then formatted on the Monday and handed it in about an hour early. So that was that - but then from Monday the 14th of April I have been having to write 1000 a day on my dissertation. Why? Many reasons. The first (and perhaps the most fatal) was laziness in my Advent Term; however, other events and suchlike have accumulated against me, which were out of my control. So I'm busy blagging it now - I'm changing the title from "New Words for Old: An Investigation of Technologically Instigated Neologism in Standard British English" to the wholly more appropriate "Stuff I Know About Words". The first and last chapters, however, should be properly written. Not much else going on in uni at the moment. Getting essay marks back on Thursday and next Tuesday. That's about it. Oh and I wrote 2000 words of my dissertation yesterday, just to get ahead a bit.

Church

Haven't been to my church for a week and a half now; was away in York last Sunday (we went to YEC - more later!). It's going alright though. Not really much to say I suppose, although maybe pianos fit in here - borrowed a nice little book from the library with some familiar choruses in it... yeah I can't play a note on the piano for toffee nor marzipan (I like marzipan).

CU

Still doing stuff with the CU for their executive committee. I got to organise the Hope end of the citywide lunchbar week, which wasn't too bad really, to organise. Nick, the citywide lunchbar co-ordinator, did most of it anyway. All went quite well. Leading the meeting tonight for the first time. Should be interesting.

I guess my terribly embarrassing incident should go here. On Monday we had Exec Pow (committee meeting) at Cake Anna's - that is to say, our meeting was at the home of a very kind lady named Anna, who has been involved with the CU since before it was famous, when it wasn't allowed in the SU because it was 'cultish' and had to meet in the tower of St Luke's bombed-out church! Anyway she made lots and lots of cake for us, which we devoured with relish.

Anyway. Anna is from Germany; her family escaped during the war - they were Jew-sympathisers and Christians and were praying that Germany would lose the war... they made it out, and to England. They were accepted into the Liverpool community and have been here ever since. Anna invited the exec round three times a year now, and Monday was our first.

"James, did you just call Amy's mum 'HITLER'??!"

He hadn't, of course. Nevertheless, the problem was more that Anna, who had been out of the room, entered as I was speaking. It was terribly awkward for me, although I'm now not entirely sure Anna even heard. She didn't poison my drink or anything at least! All's well that ends well, I guess.

Diet

I have decided to amend my diet. I no longer eat sugar every day of the week, but will be limiting it to Sundays, Wednesdays and special occasions. I am, accordingly, cutting down on crisps of all types. Furthermore, I am buying more vegetables and a wider variety of foods. I shall be buying milk more often. To link with this, I am also already going running at least twice a week (trying to get it up to three, but time constraints are quite tight) and will be doing some strength training too. I hope to look and feel fitter and healthier.

Special Events

Karen's 21st birthday party was on the 12th of this month. Anita, Elizabeth and I attended by train and taxi. It was a ceilidh, but none of us danced. I wasn't up to it, being all focused on my dissertation and whatnot. Elizabeth was asked, but declined. It looked like good fun and I wish I'd been in the right kind of mood, really.

Grandad is turning 80 this weekend, and he held a party last Saturday night in Haywards Heath in honour thereof. This is going to be a long story - I might just go and get some lunch first. Be right back...

... had a lovely stir-fry. Anyway, Dad was going to pick up Susanna from York on his way down to Sussex; it made sense for Anita and me to be in York and go down with them. So we made plans to go to York. The cheap train was the first of the day, going at 06:18 from Lime Street Station. We got up around four-ish and got ready... then I cycled over to Anita's... she wasn't quite ready. Anyway we got out of the house just about on time... but had to stop for a few minutes while Anita ran back to the house to look for her wallet. We got to the bus stop we were aiming for just a few minutes too late. So we caught a taxi. Got to the train on time and everything. The journey seemed really long (though really short on the way back). We arrived in York before 9am and went to see Anita's friend Katherine at work. Then we met up with my sister for a coffee and eventually made our way to where Dad was picking us up. We all travelled down to Sussex, most of us sleeping in the interim.

Got there and met up with my mum, who had been staying with Nanna. Spoke with Nanna and Peter for a bit and then went to find the hotel we were in for the night. Dropped our stuff off, got ready to go out, then went to Clare Hall in Haywards Heath - the same hall where Grandad held his wedding reception almost exactly five years ago. We went in and greeted numerous family members, some of whom we hadn't seen since the wedding. We sat down for a meal - Nati arrived. I hadn't seen her since that reception five years ago. She looks well. After the meal I took Anita over to meet her, and we spent much of the rest of the evening with Nati, Fay, Samantha, Kieron and Nati and Fay's boyfriends. It was great to see Nati again; it's been a long and interesting five years and it was almost weird - but in a good way - to be there with her again, catching up on life.

Anita and I took a breath of fresh air outside. It was misty, which was nice, but of course the sky was covered and there were no stars. The party ended a short time later, and we all bade farewell to the remaining few, then left. Went straight to bed at the hotel.

Got up in the morning and left for York, via Grandad's house. Back in York, eventually, Susanna invited us in for tea, then we left for York Evangelical Church, having got instructions from Beth A and with the aid of the satnav. Made it in good time. Beth wasn't there herself, but Anna was there on a weekend visit from Darlington. Quite a coincidence, really. Also bumped into Mik, and we chatted for a bit before leaving. Also spoke with Neil Hulse, the pastor.

Met Katherine in town and went for a meal down by the fire station. Then we headed back to her house, chatted a while, then went to bed on a selection of sofas and parts thereof with the aid of blankets. In the morning we headed off to the station an hour early by mistake. Got the right train in the end, though, and it didn't seem at all long before we were back in Liverpool.

I took Anita home and then went home myself to do some work before Exec Pow and hallgroup. Exec Pow was at Cake Anna's as described above. Hallgroup was alright. Ethel was there, which was good. Went back to Anita's afterwards for a short time. The arrival of Alysa and Hannah at about half past twelve served as a good point at which to depart.

Anyway I've finished the story about the weekend... nothing much has happened since then... so I'd better go and get some work done! Bye for now.

Nate

ps Just a note about university - I am feeling more and more detached from the place already, like it's just kind of slipping away slowly. It helps me to see it from the outside, as it were, and to realise that these are the days of my life, in which I am an undergraduate university student, attending university, going about the place of Hope Uni. It will all be gone, too soon.