Tuesday, September 30, 2008

I need sleep

I have had a horrible nights sleep, really restless. I had to get up to let the electricians in, we have had some problems with the smoke alarm system going off and not resetting itself properly. I was thinking at least they should be quiet, but even as I sit writing he is busy hammering the crap out of something, it stops for about a minute then starts up again. I wasn't aware that a hammer was a tool used much in the precise work of fixing electrical appliances. I mean I was thinking of using one when we could not get the alarms to turn off and the system to reset itself, but not in a fixing sort of way.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

New term, new timetable

With the start of a new term just a week away, it is not really all that much on my mind. Freshers week is first up and that is going to be hectic. My third and final one, I think it is going to get messy. Although right now drink is the last thing on my mind, I have had quite a bad hangover all day but I would say it more or less subsided over the last couple of hours.

The one thing for the current term I am keen to see however is my timetable, which I think will be released tomorrow. I am seriously hoping I do not have any 9am lectures. We do not get on, it has been a rocky relationship these last 2 years and I fear it is irreconcilable.

I would say since being at uni I have probably been to less than 20% of lectures at those times. It is not that I can't get up. I can. I have been all summer when I was working, I got to work at 8.45 normally but the thing there is I had to, I was getting paid, I couldn't just not turn up. Also I wasn't going out as much during the week as when at uni, which granted makes it easier to get up, but I went out virtually every wednesday and if I was at uni I would not have made a 9am lecture on the thursday.

I know transversely you could say that it should be much easier to go to lectures as I am actually paying for it. A hell of lot actually come to think of it, I will probably be in about £20k worth of debt at the end and this should be all the motivation I need to make them...it isn't, that early in the morning I couldn't give a shit about the mechanical properties of soils (I am not sure there is a time of day that I could but that's by the by). When it comes down to the alarm going off at 8 in the morning, I have had a heavy night, it ain't going to happen, I am going to turn the alarm off and get up after midday.

I know. You don't have to tell me, I have got it tough

Friday, September 26, 2008

How Do They Do It?

Been browsing the television guide and noticed what looks like a particularly brilliant programme tonight on channel 5. It's called 'How Do They Do It?' Now I think these sort of programmes have the ability to be quite interesting. There are so many fantastic engineering feats that I would enjoy watching about: harrier jump jet, Burj Dubai, I was reading an article in the economist recently - Military technology: Advances in camouflage, concealment and deception are revolutionising an age-old art of warfare (link here).

There is loads basically. I assume 'How Do They Do It?' is a series, I haven't heard of it before but it must be a series that has obviously exhausted/covered a lot of things judging by the description for this episode:

'Manoeuvring a 50,000 tonne ship through a narrow lock'

...what?...now to be quite honest that hasn't enticed me much to watch, I have never wondered about this, I cannot quite comprehend how that warrants a 30 minute show. I'm guessing now, I don't know for certain but I imagine they do it very bloody carefully, perhaps going through the lock very slowly.

Next week I think it's, 'How do you parallel park your car in a space that's only just big enough' followed by, 'How do you climb through letter boxes, whilst surviving on eating envelopes'

*edit* I was looking at the wrong day 'How Do They Do It' was on last night, such a shame had a lot of potential.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

No I am not interested in what you have to say, or am I

I want to talk about the christian societies, the sort that come round to your house and talk about stuff. You are not necessarily quite sure what it is they talk about because you generally make your excuses and get rid of them asap.

Well when I was down at my uni house for 4 days last week I was inundated with them! Always 2 of them at the door. Strength in numbers I suppose incase a fight kicks off.

When I say I was inundated there was only 2 sets over the 4 days but bear in mind that at my house the previous year there was a total of none over the whole year and if it continues at a rate of 1 coming every 2 days, over a year, that's...well...a lot. Maths isn't my strong point, it should be as I am studying engineering but remember exams are easy as everyone not taking them keeps saying. In fact a Maths A-Level exam is little more than connect the dots and paint by numbers.

The first pair that came round were a nice American chap and someone who did not say anything (bodyguard I reckon), but I was not really up for this it was 10am, middle of the night almost. I said I was really busy boiling my head, come back another time. Why did I say come back another time, now they definitley will, damn it.

Anyway I noticed the second set of people out of the window before they rang on the bell, so I prepared my excuse, 'Look I am actually getting ready to drive back home soon, so it's not a good time,' which in all fairness was true I was planning to drive back home soon but I wasn't pushed for time. I opened the door and said the first bit but not the,'...so it's not a good time' I stopped my speech as there was a very attractive girl standing there. well played God, I to would do the same to get people to listen, send attractive girls round, genius!

So we were just talking, she was asking questions, she read something out of the bible, can't remember what I wasn't interested, although I pretended to be. Bodyguard was standing silently doing his bit, do not worry sir there will be no fight here! She seemed really nice, normal not crazy. Talking went on for maybe about 5 minutes and eventually she said, 'anyway I won't keep you from getting home, I will leave you with this (some extract from the bible, didn't read it) and perhaps come back another time.' Please do...