Damp Slippers

This is a funny time to be blogging, isn't it? Well it's because the fire alarm went off in just my block of halls O.o so had to plod outside - into the damp - in my slippers again.... Really need to remember to leave my wellies out in the event of another alarm.
But yeh, as I'm here, that also implies that I'm back after my weekend home (which went way too quickly) but seeing Jackson was my highlight and I am currently wearing a cardigan of his <3 We had a rather expensive round of YO sushi in town but was totally worth it.
The coach journey back the next day, however, was not terribly comfy (what do you expect for a 5 1/2 hour ride?) Needless to say, I was glad to be back, all things considered, and now I've been introduced to my next module yesterday and in about 5 1/2 hrs (again), I'll be having another introductory lecture for my second module of the second semester. But right now, I'm not sure what I'm doing. I'm hungry, so I should probably fetch some breakfast - but there's also the possibility of free pancakes at half 8 if I can get ready in time. I'll maybe let you know how that pans out tonight (haha 'pans' - what an unintentional pun)
NB: I forgot I wrote about my coach trip in my last post...apologies 

Stop the World a Moment, It's too Fast

Just a quick note to say, this weekend home has simply flown by, and I was on a 5 1/2 hour coach journey back here to Plymouth before I knew it.... Learnt that 58 Bowie songs fills 4 hours of that journey pretty nicely. 
But now I'm settled in again, it'll be back to work tomorrow with the start of my final two modules for my first year (how HAS time gone so fast?) 
Also got to write my reflection for the Making Waves module process and presentation....more writing. 
But for now, sleep after such a butt-numbing, cramped trip

MAELSTROM DAY and the Certain Setbacks

And just like that, Maelstrom Day presentations are over! 4 weeks' effort compressed into 15 minutes. I don't have the time or memory to recall the rest of the group's work but there were a few who clearly put more effort in than others - costumes, presentations on YouTube, even a mini movie made for this purpose, and such. I met my group and we settled ourselves into the venue, assessing how to utilise the space, present ourselves best, etc. The props we had, especially Jacob's fishing rod (haha) were perfect! The first half went by faster than expected and due to that Min wanted to push our group ahead which we declined (and later regretted). One girl in another group shocked me by not only stealing my idea for asking the audience a question, but used MY question; when I attempted to respond with my answer, she even corrected me! I was cursing [humorously] under my breath for awhile after that. 
In the break, Harriet, Jaz and I ate far too many Sour Cream and Chive Pringles! 
Then some technicians came in and fiddled with the pc, rendering the sound (for our presentation at least) practically mute! 
Despite these set-backs, we managed to pull it off to my relief. The last few groups were a mixed bunch but all had some redeeming features and good points. At this point though, I just wanted to get out, get ready, and hop on my train, but had to fill out feedback forms after all was finished. THEN I said my goodbyes for the weekend and was off, as I still am right now (listening to Bohemian Rhapsody too!) About 1/2 hour away from London and another hour on top of that before I'm home. 
I've been waiting for this day ever since we started the Making Waves module....

The Eve of Battle - and Certain Victory!!

So it's almost the big day (on two counts): MAELSTROM DAY and....finally getting to go home!!! I cannot wait to jump on that train tomorrow - even if it means getting home late, but getting to be with Jackson again after about a month and a half apart is so worth it.
Today, however, has marked another successful group effort from The Albatross (as we are known now). We waited around outside our usual classroom in Babbage Building but apparently another class was being held in there (second time our room has been double-booked - odd) so we wandered a bit until we found a ground floor double-space lecture room (perfect!) and managed to get in and hour and a half of actual speaking and timing and slide transition practice before someone else needed the room. There were a few places where we needed to trim back, and we may have a few costume issues with regard to Jacob and Teresa, but we seem to be almost hitting out max time so fingers crossed. Following that, I rehearsed my part almost from memory later that evening before binge-watching Death Note (things have gotten very interesting hahah).
I think, however, I am going to need my sleep for tomorrow. I'll still be able to blog (possibly) when I get home but Saturday is most likely an impossibility. See you on the other side!

Another Fine Curry

Update time! So today has been a slow start, but I managed to get some food shopping in (including some much-needed chocolate!) before going to a meeting regarding my second year optional modules. Apocalypse module is a definite! Gothic, maybe...I would like to look into music reviews and such if that's possible. 

But I was super hungry by the time that was over so ran back to my halls to get some Thai Red Curry cooking. Every time I make curry, I swear it just gets better. There's Quorn chicken, red pepper, chickpeas, and spinach in there, with my favourite carb substitute, cauliflower, and some tinned sweetcorn (yum!)
Got to meeting up with one third of the team to go over our scripts and get them onto cue cards, strip out any unnecessary information (this being Jaz's part on New Wave music, I believe) and contact those who couldn't come with regard to costume. 

Here are my wings by the way. Cute, huh?
Well anyway, ended my day with some Chinese with flatmates and then an episode of Breaking Bad. Now it's bed and tomorrow, all the group gathered for a final proper practice session. Fingers crossed.

It's all coming together

How on earth did I forget to write here? Today has been somewhat eventful and quite productive. Seminar from 11 til 1 saw us deeply analysing art of the sea (My favourite being Beachy Head by Eric Ravilious - so haunting and empty). My group and I left for the library then to go over and time our speeches (we are running a little over so more practice and trimming is necessary). I sadly had to cut out my flatline sound effect but I believe my outfit - today completed with some beautiful wings - will make up for that. The rest of my afternoon, however, was kinda lazy until I started considering what to pack for my weekend home and then attended my first burlesque class. This was on building your burlesque persona, mine being a sexy, somewhat vicious vampire. The name Vampyr Bunny is in the works at the moment. 
Anyway, I needed to get this in. So goodnight for now. 

Keeping It Simple

Well it appears another day is drawing to a close, and work is progressing towards its finale on Friday that is Maelstrom Day when we as a group of 6 will present our work to 80 or so people. Nervous stuff, huh? My wings arrived today so I'll be picking them up tomorrow. We've created an online Google Drive document to see what each of us is going to say and tomorrow I believe we'll be going over the scripts to sort timing and such.
Today in general, however, has been kind of slow. I've been catching up on a bit of Breaking Bad, I've eaten my last batch of pre-cooked pasta so I'm going to have to make some more chili or curry or stir-fry (all of which is delicious!)
But as always, my evening is an undecided one....

Sundays....I'm Done

So I haven't had the greatest day, I mean come on Sundays are supposed to be lazy but I have work to do. I've tried to slim down my presentation speech so each half is about 1 minute long and it's tough. We're going over our scripts tomorrow after the lecture, I believe.
But another important thing is the AGM - Reassignment of Committee Members of the Rock Society. I haven't really got the personality or social skills or much of anything to be any good at positions like Chair or Secretary, but I might just consider a 'second in command' role for Live Secretary as I get to do promotions and stuff for events, as well as go to them! (Blogging is already pretty fun so this will make it even better).
I am currently trying to have a Skype conversation with the wonderful boyfriend but the shit (excuse my language) WiFi here in Robbins is making it impossible to hold a conversation for more than 10 minutes.....
*cries*

Burlesque Beauties

Well the list of interesting thing I want to get involved in just keeps growing. Further to my last entry, I've already attained and exceeded my £30 fundraising goal so it's onwards and upwards towards March 20th!
As to the rest of today, still haven't finished Pamela yet but I made some delicious chicken and pesto pasta (despite wanting to cut back on carbs which now I've used up the last of my pasta, I can). But it is tonight to which I would like to draw your attention. I was alerted to the existence of a Burlesque show happening at Voodoolounge, in which a friend of mine was performing. As any friend wants to do, I attended, and subsequently developed an interest for trying it myself (to the point that I was dancing in front of my mirror back in my room while listening to Marilyn Manson!) But my congratulations to all the ladies who performed as well. I hope this might be a hobby I can keep up this time (unlike my failed attempt to keep dance club up).
So yeah it's been an intriguing day.
Tomorrow I need to get my presentation costume together and time my script.

Plymouth Campus Colour Dash in Aid of Brain Tumour Research

https://www.justgiving.com/Laura-Reinbach/

I am finally deciding to do my bit for charity. It's not one I would've chosen but the activity part of it sounds fun! On March 20th, there will be a Colour Dash Fun Run through an on-campus obstacle course which I have decided to take part in. As part of this effort, I have to raise a minimum of £30.00 for the cause. So if you could follow the link at the top and donate even a few pounds, I'd be grateful!

A Mixed Bag

Ah confirmation, to one degree or another, has been achieved today with regard to the presentation. We have been heralded as the most organised group in the class! Arrived with my laptop and proceeded to strengthen my content and introduce links to the material which follows such as how the ocean seen as a womb can be a link to feminism and the female body. Min spoke to us about how we're progressing, and reminded us to not cram too much information in so as to stay within our 15 min time limit (so may have to pare some of my content back....) but otherwise, I am feeling very strongly about this project; so much more so than I did for the Odyssey module which was far too taxing and dull.
Got my marks back for the Craft of Writing Module - 62 our of 100 which equates to a 2:1 (albeit the lower end of one) which I have mixed feelings about but my obvious let down was my over-wordiness and explanation in my story. (What can I say, I'm a sucker for detail and action).
Regardless, my day continued, with the necessary uphill haul to Aldi for food after which I was starving so made my own version of a shepherd's/cottage pie with Quorn mince, veggies, and a cauliflower top!
Have conquered a few more pages of Pamela, submitted some poetry to the Plymouth Herald (hopefully in time for a Saturday publication), and now I believe is me-time!!!

Busy Doing Nothing

So how has life been going? It's been pretty varied. Met up with my future flatmates, joined a writing workshop run by the wonderful people of the INK team to produce some marine themed poetry and prose, or thereabouts.
Three stations: 

1. 5 words and a picture (some of the photos were really mind-bending). Produced two unfinished pieces.
2. Specimens from the natural history section of the local museum. As a group, we all followed on from what the previous person had written about a specific creature. Didn't get to keep those but it came out ok.
3. Inspired by other works. Richard Jefferies' Out of Doors in February inspired my piece about the annoyance of nesting crows. Apparently mine was a lot like Ted Hughes' work too which was an added bonus.

After that, I was pretty hungry so had sushi out with a friend before going to see Deadpool with them. Hilarious film and so unique!

But anyway I've had my fun. It's back to work tomorrow....
Oh, I did observe this gorgeous sky though

Last German Lesson - What a Flop!

It is a pleasure to grace the Internet once more with tales of success to one degree or another. Today, despite a bit of confusion over why our allocated study room was in use, 2/3 of my group met up in the library to discuss costume, presentation order, and some minor details on the content of our script. 
In seminar itself, we focused more on how to read and craft poetry, the featured piece being Nocturne by Ruth Padel, a rather ambiguously dark poem about the poet's late father, jellyfish, and the unsettling nature of the unconscious mind (if you care to look that deep). As a workshop activity, we composed our own pieces of poetry based on an imaginary/remembered shoreline, whilst the sounds of the beach (rushing tide, waves, gulls, etc) played in the background. My rather short effort was based on Folkestone Beach in Kent, England. Some of the sensory images and sound I rather like.
Following this class, it was time to head back to my room, take in some lunch and then get onto organising my notes for the presentation before dinner: homemade chili con carne, coleslaw, AND guacamole! 
Then it was the final ever German class in which just 5 people (including myself and my friend Hannah) played memory games, answered questions, and tried out German tongue twisters, my favourite being:
Graben Grabengräber Gruben?

Graben Grubengräber Gräben?

Nein!

Grabengräber graben Gräben.

Grubengräber graben Gruben.

Which translates to:

Do gravediggers dig ditches?

Do ditchdiggers dig graves?

No!

Gravediggers dig graves.

Ditchdiggers dig ditches.

I hope you have fun with that one!

Gute Nacht for now!

The Embodiment of Life and Death

Today I would like to say I am proud of the work my team and I have done in progressing with this presentation and collaborating as a team to form ideas for the upcoming MAELSTROM DAY! (as Min would say!)
Following a morning lecture which prepared us for the impending Critical Theory Module in March, we met up briefly to discuss what our next step would be. This involved thinking how we can distinguish ourselves from the rest of the groups and strengthening our current research into the rough outline of a script. Both of these aspects were further discussed over our Facebook chat. Hannah showed how she had started on the wave mural and also posed the perfect idea of dressing ourselves according to our topic, therefore I would be the visual embodiment [to a greater or lesser degree] of life and death. I had a think about how I could portray this and came up with black and white on the simplest level, with the added embellishment of skull jewellery, a black hood and maybe some white wings...?
Anyway, after a busy 3 hrs at the library, I came back to my room relatively ready to tidy up my notes and here I am 6 hours later, feeling much better for the progress I have made. 
We'll all meet up before the seminar tomorrow to discuss what we've done thus far and hopefully I'll have more good news.
For now, it's Netflix and sugary-snacks time!

Saturdays are always good days

What a wet evening this is - and my cough is still scratching my lungs out *sigh* but it's been a decidedly more productive day so there's the benefit of that.
Despite it only being a coffee morning at the Proprietary Library, I managed to have a decent conversation with about three people and got myself signed up for an informal intermediate proofreading class in March. 
I was shoved a silly 50s Valentine's card which I decided to fill out and send as I was (sort of) near the post office - until I realised I had no money on me...but love makes us do silly things so I went back and got the money and dutifully posted it Second Class (there's no real hurry - it would never get to him by tomorrow anyways).
Once back in my room, the motivation to try and get my work in order for the presentation finally kicked in and I think I have a better hold on what I'd like to say come Friday 26th. 
Then it came time for dinner - chili stuffed mushrooms! My culinary concoctions know no bounds! But quickly I had to be off to a poetry reading with the Cross Country Writers at the Plymouth Arts Centre. That too proved quite fun and I made a new friend so happy days! Even the rain seeping into my leaky Converse couldn't detract from a conversation as we walked through the rain together.
But now I'm back in my room, I just need to pray this cough will let me sleep tonight.

Just can't be dealing with this....

I will keep forgetting, won't I? Well it's understandable - I am ill....This cough just won't leave new alone! 
But that aside, it's been an uncertain day.
Had a talk with Caroline Carver (author whose poetry I won before Christmas) - she gave her views on the process of writing which proved very useful. What she terms 'back-of-the-mind' writing where you just write and don't stop to think (a technique I have used before) and it yielded a pretty good result.
Rest of my day was reading as much Pamela I could after delicious chicken cabbage fajitas 

This is one of the tastiest carb substitutes I've found (besides my cauliflower rice). 
I've also sunk a few more episodes of Death Note 
Now I need to try and get as decent amount of sleep as this cough will allow...

The Mother of All Chilis

So it may have taken me a little while to get started today, having had to go do some food shopping, but in terms of work I'd say I've rounded off and packaged up about 85% of my research for my part of the Making Waves presentation. Managed to skim-read the other half of the prose in The Oxford Book of the Sea before looking up ways the sea and waves are portrayed as like the Earth's blood, a heartbeat/pulse, or in the motion of breathing. The prose by Henry Beston I read yesterday was particularly enlightening in that respect. 
But that's not all I managed today. 
My culinary prowess - albeit one which used a jar of sauce instead of from scratch - produced a sufficient batch of Quorn mince chili with sweetcorn and kidney beans. So tasty that even after I'd filled myself up by wrapping a small portion in red cabbage leaves (my attempt at reducing carbs, so cabbage instead of flour tortilla), I still wanted more!
But I'm saving it so this deliciousness lasts.
Also polished off the last episode of Vampire Knight on Netflix, but unable to satisfy my anime craving, I started on Death Note!
Anyway tomorrow I will show the rest of my team (who thanks to me have been labeled Name Pending - sorry guys) what I have researched and which, at leader Harriet's behest, I have placed into a PowerPoint. 
Best of luck to me!

Presentation Nummer Eins

Oh boy, today was presentation day for our studied poem. Not as tough as the big day on February 26th will be but still required some mental effort and teamwork. We met up in the tutorial room at 10 to discuss what we'd found individually before going to the seminar to present. It felt a little disorganised as we all just sort of spoke about what we knew and I didn't get to talk about all of my interesting observations on language use but I suppose it didn't matter. We'll do better on the big day. The other two groups had more in the way of in-depth research contextually and a more involved slideshow but again, no matter. 
Discussed prose in class which made me consider reading some of that in my spare time today which I managed after finally - FINALLY - booking my ticket home for the end of this month. Train back at just gone 6pm and coach back here Sunday evening. 
The reading was pretty fun - opened a few more avenues for research such as ocean as metaphor for the heart!
Had penultimate German class tonight too - learnt some vocabulary for going shopping (not that much of it sticks...)
Now I'm just super late getting to sleep, not aided by this irritating cough, and have more research and food shopping to do in the morning. 

The Mamas Party

I am just so exhausted from work (uni-related and personal). But I must write here for posterity and for use in my reflection at the end of the month. So yeh, I've been researching all the ways the ocean and waves can be a metaphor for life and death. I've found quotes, some paintings, poems in various books I own (and those that are part of the course). Also found an online Noise Generator which allows you to create your own ocean wave sounds - very soothing. 
I'm not sure, at this stage, how to bring together all that I've found, but a way should hopefully reveal itself when I'm in a better headspace. 
My personal work was reviewing Korn's See You On the Other Side (which typically takes three and a bit hours...) but now I'm done. Only got a freaking lecture in the morning though! *sigh* Off to bed I suppose.
Oh but I did forget to mention Jo's 34th birthday last night. Never have I had so much fun with a group of women 10 years my senior haha managed to be good with the drinking (can't say no to Baileys or red wine though!) and got to know some lovely ladies and chat about music <3
I just wish this weather hadn't given me an irritating cough *grumbles sullenly*

Group Name: Title Pending....

Ok, for the sake of my current module, I need to keep this up.
Today's workshop helped us to establish who might end up doing what with regard to the presentation (which by the way is 3 weeks tomorrow - haha putting things into perspective). This allowed me to see that, unlike in the Odyssey module, I won't have to be the one to whip people into shape; that appears to be Harriet's job. We have someone interested in art, a marine biologist, someone who is kind of outlandish and wouldn't mind dressing up, someone who likes dance, and then me....the one with a morbid love of death (oh dear). Our chosen theme is Waves as Metaphor, which allows for all kinds of ideas like waves of power, emotion, disease and feminism (unsure how that last one fits but it's been considered as a topic to cover), and then the way waves can be portrayed through metaphor i.e. as a symbol of power, death (a graveyard), a giver of life, and (my silly remembrance) as an allusion to sex in those prudish early movies (if anyone has seen the Dave Allen sketch, you'll know what I mean - can't find a link unfortunately).
But as predicted, we have split up our favoured topics and will go away and research into them. In the meantime, my suggested poem - Ode on a Storm by an anonymous poet - was the one we have decided to analyse for a short presentation on Tuesday. I spent about 4 hours deeply looking into this 14 verse poem. 
Now I'm finally free to enjoy my evening in whatever manner I so choose. 
Oh damn, still haven't thought of a group name for ourselves....I'm sure they'll come up with something.

I sense deja vu

Evening! It's been a rollercoaster few days methinks....Tuesday was my first proper seminar and luck was not on side, putting not one but all three of my friends into a different group for the final presentation at the end of the month. I am simply hoping now that this new group are more agreeable than the last group was during October's Odyssey module. To add to my fears, I discovered some upsetting news about a friend (the details of which I cannot provide) but I have promised her all the support she wants because I couldn't ask for a better best friend :D
On the flip side, Detention Alternative Night last night was sick! Despite a certain red-haired friend not turning up, the time I spent with our mutual friend Harry made it all worth while, especially once 1am came around and a troop of friends from various places all appeared at once! Around this time, the more well-known bands were being thrown about for us like Muse, Foo Fighters, My Chemical Romance (to mine and flatmate Charlotte's joy), You Me at Six, Killswitch Engage, etc etc. Eventually got away just before closing time (2.45am) and now today is here. 
Food shopping, laundry, stir-fry, reading poetry for the Making Waves module....it's going alright [so far].
Wish me luck tomorrow!

B is for....5 Hours of Books

Evening all! Today marked the start of my next module, Making Waves (a module all about - you guessed it - WAVES! Of all kinds) tutored by the eccentric and OTT Min Wild. That didn't take up an immense portion of my day; however, what did was finishing up the search and shelving of books at the library which I did for 5 hours, only heading home when I realised I was starving myself! I had to break my low-carb rule in order to use up some more potatoes in my cupboard but it was liberally smothered in beans which made me feel a little better about myself. Ok, so I can't stop myself eating poptarts either - but who can resist those warm sugary pastry pockets?
I'm currently struggling to expand my musical horizons and indulge in thrash metal but the letter B is proving a tough letter to find an agreeable band for....I've tried Black Tide (not thrash enough), Body Count (too much rap), Believer (too....grungy)....but the last may be the best I've got so far.
Anyway, enough of me for tonight. First seminar (and most likely getting put in our groups for the next month *biting nails*) in the morning, so night for now!