From Under The Duvet..: August 2006

Thursday, August 31, 2006

All a little Scary..

So, I've just over two hours remaining of my last ever last day of summer before school. It's a kinda odd thought that tomorrow I'm in the oldest year of school.

Lots still has to be sorted - no one has as yet enrolled in the psychology course I want to do so no people = no course. If tha tone falls through there's the Twilight course in that institute or I can go into Belfast one night a week. It's just.. my favoured option number one has fallen through - I'd really like this one to go forward. As well as the fact the twilight courses are only three hours a week - which is pushing it perhaps...

Anyway, prayers appreciated as I get thrown back into the fun world of school. That I'd do well, actually manage to get UCAS sorted (I think you need a degree in how to apply in order to apply...), but, most of all, I grow and have fun! My last year of nice little school before I'm thrown into the big bad world of uni.

It should be a fun year!! Stick around..

Rachxx

Labels: school, stress, uni

For The Birds

Go watch For the Birds! I adore this!!

Labels: films

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Holiday Photos

Labels: holidays, photos, USA

Monday, August 28, 2006

I've known it all along...

But it seems a game I sometimes play [Bookworm] knows it too....
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hehehe

Labels: comedy, games

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Thirteen Years...

So, yesterday was Black Saturday. My house is three houses from the demonstration field. Cue the biggest barbeque ever. Fifty burgers. Fifty-six sausages. Lots ad lots of other food etc. And what was left? Six burgers. Oh, and quite a few of the one hundred and twelve cheese slices that had been bought, potato salad and coleslaw.
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Look what I did:
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And it worked!

I am very proud of this!! I think we catered for about half the country.

I'd also like to point out something about the field. Here's a picture of it:

A lot of lodges have a car that drives in the parade with the older lodge members in it. The first car took three attempts to get up that rather small hill (it looks steeper in the photo). The first car to get up it first go had a woman driver! See, not only can we light barbeques but we drive better too.

Anyway, it'll be thirteen years before the Black Saturday is held here again. I don't remember the last time it was here - in fact, our house may just have been built. But, the next time round I'll be thirty!! That's insane! Think what all will have happened by then... It's kinda scary... I may be booking flights for Dr Rachael. Even this next year is huge - this time next year instead of buying a school uniform I'll be buying kitchen utensils. I won't be heading eleven miles down the road each day but across the Irish Sea. It's all pretty scary. I think the scariest thing is how quickly the past year has gone - and, if that's anything to go by, how quickly this next string of changes will take place.

Thank you all for stopping by to listen to my ramblings - hopefully you'll stick around as things (and I) get crazier and more exciting.

Rachxx

Labels: future, past

Friday, August 25, 2006

Help!

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Ok, so the fun begins...

Psychology was never an official guaranteed A2 in my school. But it hadn't been for several years but the class still ran to A2. This year it's not running - for ages all we knew was it was not running full stop (and even this information took several phonecalls to receive) - not why or anything.

My mum has been calling (oddly enough it seems to help if you ring a school from a phone number they recognise as the people that control their budgets) and finally got through to the principal.

The crux of the conversation was that there's no way psych is running in my school. I can enroll in the institute and they'll allow me to have 16 periods of classes and 24 free classes because "well, I have been enquiring about Rachael and she has the reputation of being a studious girl so I would have no problem letting her have that many free periods" (the principal).

My mum said maybe doing another AS so I wasn't completely bored (I get bored having 8 free periods atm) but the principal said maybe carrying on English lit should remain an option - because I did so well in it etc.

I really don't know what to do. English lit seems to get a lot harder this year and I don't know if I love it enough to work that hard at it. On the other hand, 24 free periods may kill me...

I could do another AS but there's no subjects that I really like the look off. Twelve hours of free periods a week seems so much - I'd get so so bored. It's just really annoying about the total lack of communication from the school!

Help!!! Any ideas people?

Rachxx

Labels: school, stress

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Will Men Become Superfluous?

This was the question the TV programme “Don't Get Me Started” attempted to address tonight. The episode was hosted by Michael Buerk on What Are Men For. It had the description: “This provocative series gives some of Britain's leading thinkers a chance to sound off on the issues they feel most strongly about. In this first programme Michael Buerk examines man's role in today's femocracy and asks whether there will come a time when men aren't needed at all.”
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The programme talked about how females are taking on roles which were previously traditional male roles – business careers, journalism and just this week we heard how David Cameron is trying to make his party represent the population who is voting for him. No offence Mr Cameron, but I think I’d prefer a man who I knew could do the job than a woman who simply got the job because of that extra X chromosome (yes, you read that correctly). And I think the female MPs would prefer knowing they got the job because of their good standing and being a good choice of candidate rather than their sex.
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The programme discussed that because women are “taking over” these so-called male roles that men do not know where their role lies. Like that programme of Friends in which Rachel was desperate for her partner (played by Bruce Willis) to open up only to get fed up of all the emotions is it better for men to have that traditional stiff upper lip or be more open?
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We have seen a dramatic increase in the number of women who are going out to get drunk and the creation of “ladettes” who act just as bad, or indeed worse, than their young male counterparts. Females are taking over all the roles men are used to filling. And men are no longer necessary biologically. The progress made in the world of IVF means now lesbian couples can have children. Where does this leave the modern man? Will he be needed at all?
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I don’t think we can call women equally able to drink themselves under the table progress. And yes, some single parent families are a lot better being single parent families rather than a very unhappy and unstable two-parent families. But children do need good female and male role models. And, if men are no longer needed in the modern society is it really fair for female couples to being little boys into the world? Has this quest for equality gone too far and the men now redundant?
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Well, I know I have a feminist reputation but I do think men are needed in the world. I’m sure they have their place somewhere with opening jam jars, getting spiders out of the bath or off my bedroom ceiling and I always think they should be allowed to stay around for hugs. If you cannot see the need for them in those reasons, at least keep them around for the pure comic value they provide.
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Rachxx

Labels: feminism, people, TV

Monday, August 21, 2006

Courage

I have recently finished reading “Tomorrow When the War Began" by John Marsden. It is the first book of a seven part series. I enjoyed the book but it ended so suddenly I’m glad that I have another six books to find the answers in.
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The narrator of the book is Ellie, a teenager, who, along with a group of her friends, decided to go camping for a week in the Australian outback. When they returned to civilisation they found it was no longer there – all their houses were empty. After some exploring they find the majority of the area’s population is being held by foreign soldiers who arrived when they were camping. The story follows them as they attempt to discover how their families are and how best they can help their captured nation while ensuring they survive.
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One of the things addressed in the book is the idea of courage. The group of teenagers find themselves doing things they never would or could have done before – stealing and killing to survive. They find the courage to stand up and fight! [I can’t say anymore in case someone decides to read the book.] I often wonder if I would have the strength and the courage to be daring and risk my life for other around me.
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It’s a thought that also springs to my mind when I read about the persecuted church in places like China etc. Could I have faith if having it risked my life? I don’t know if I’d have that much courage to stand up for what I believe in if the risk what that great. I don’t know. And at times I hope I am never in the situation in which I would find out if I could stand up and be counted while staring at a gun.
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The lovely Lauren asks the question what is courage on her blog – a love the responses given there. How would you define courage?
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And I will also pose another question from her blog here – “If you had one chance at defining the rest of your life by one action what would you do? There are no limits. Be creative and think.”
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I have absolutely no idea how to answer that question. Anyone have any ideas?
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Rachxx

Labels: books, courage, other blogs, persecuted church

Thursday, August 17, 2006

It Finally Feels Like It's Over....

Well Thursday came - after a very restless night. Got into school and got my sheets of paper and walked out of the office where Rachel and the rest of them were standing. I was shaking so much - even though I'd already read the results. So I leant against the wall. I just passed Rachel the results page and got a hug! And then Jonathan looked through it and pointed out some thingd of interest.

So, I suppose you want to know what I got?

Psychology: A

With 98% in the Social Influence and Research Methods paper. And a B in one paper (physiological stuff [stress] and individual differences) - but the other two A grade papers brought it up.

Geography: A

All modules were As. I got 100/105 in one.

RS: A

All A grade modules. 100% in one - that was probably my coursework module. I can't believe they could read my handwriting but I am so grateful they took the time because it was all there!

And, the underdog. The longshot.

English lit: A

I did get a C in the modern novel (Spies, by Michael Frayn) paper but my coursework and the other exam both gave really high As (I dropped eighteen marks between them) which brought my overall grade up to an A.

I've been on Cloud One Hundred and Nine all day but I am now so tired! It finally feels like it's over. I've been waiting for this! And now I do feel this I am due back at school in a few weeks. Grr... Roll on A-levels, right?

I'd like to thank you all for being so supportive during the year - the essays and the stress! You've been fab!

Clearly, though, we need something like this.

Rachxx

Labels: results, school, stress

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Photos From Portland - check out the post below first!

A log.
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My hand.
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Sandcastles.
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Big rock thing.
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Anna and Lukas looking out to Sea.

Labels: photos, USA

The Portland Update

Here's the post I wrote in Portland - thought I'd type it up.

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The Son of God is Dancing

(The Devil Can’t Come Near)…
A Message of Hope by Adrian and Bridget Plass

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So, this is the book that the book club was going to be looking at in Portland. I arrived in Portland on Sunday and started reading it ten, so by Monday night at the book club I’d read about 70 pages of the 200 or so.
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The book is written by a British couple who went out to Zambia for World Vision with the purpose of writing a book to encourage people to give money to the projects World Vision runs.
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It is a brilliant book and I’d readily recommend it to anyone. I’m still just under halfway through it – which is rather unusual of me but I’m going back to re-read stuff and stopping to think about what has just been said.
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It combines stories of individuals out in Zambia with harrowing statistics so vast you want them to be false. For example, around 40 million adults and children live with HIV/AIDS. That’s staggering on its own but when you combine the 28 million in Africa along with the heart felt stories in the book it feels overwhelming.
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One reason I really like the book is because the authors are not afraid to admit that they feel helpless. They’re just two people – that’s a drop in the ocean to Africa. But the point that is made clear in the book is that surely that little drop in the ocean is better than not at all. And, although the ways of helping are not always efficient or as effective as we’d like it’s still a help and all that we can currently do.
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It’s a challenging book too because it talks about the way distance affects us. Zambia and Africa is so far away and it is easy to block it out and forget about it. I know this on a personal level because, I feel, after returning from Romania I haven’t done anything (unless you count my published article in the school magazine). That’s a whole year I’ve had after that life changing experience and... what have I done? Nothing.
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Another really striking thing about the book is the faith the people have. A woman learns she has HIV/AIDS and prays “Father, Your will be done”. Could I pray that in the same situation? I very much doubt it. Adrian puts it brilliantly about “our” (meaning those in the west) faith when he says:
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“It is faith born and nurtured in a land where food is always plentiful and medicine is always available, where we have the luxury of sitting in well-fed groups tearing Bible verses apart and telling each other that we think the Lord may be possibly saying something or other to somebody or other about some trivial issue that will never significantly affect anyone anyway.”
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As I read that I laughed because it seems so true, because it is so true. Could I trust God that He will provide food for tomorrow and money for clothes?
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In the book we learn about two brothers, Lackson and Philemon, who lost both parents to HIV/AIDS when they were young. They now live on their own and catch rats to survive and attend school. They have holes in their roof, no blankets for cold winter temperatures and holes in their clothes. They have a careworker who visits them. What do you think she gives? She gives them spiritual counselling. Not food, clothes or blankets because there are many worse off than Lackson and Philemon – they survive. I find that so incredible.
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One of the points raised at the book club was how needs are perceived. In the West we need certain shoes to run, we need certain food before (and after) we run and certain weather to run. But in Africa shoes are prized possessions and any food is gratefully received. It makes you re-evaluate your life, in addition to making you feel guilty.
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The book club itself was fantastic. The women were so welcoming and they really challenged the stereotypes given to Americans. They were not the people driving huge, gas-guzzling cars between eating at McDonald’s and drinking Root Beer (which tastes like very bad mouthwash) going round with a “we’re a American so that makes us more important than any of you and I don’t give a damn” attitude – they were far from all of that (and so maybe I exaggerated a little there!).
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These women were so passionate about the wider world and it was so wonderful to just spend an evening with them. They were excited because it is looking like American’s will not be able to sponsor children in Mongolia – a country which they currently cannot sponsor children in. That was really cool and struck me – just listening to them was really encouraging and challenging. Some of the women in the group were rather well-off and rather than settling with sponsoring children – they sponsor villages. I realise you’re maybe going to say that they can afford to do that but it’s easy to ignore things and not go that little bit further too.
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The next book they’re doing in their book club is Terrify No More. I’m hoping to pick that up somewhere and read it.
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Today I was also at Canon Beach – it is so SO beautiful. I’ll try and post pictures here – they look a lot better in black and white and the lovely Lauren is going to help me with that.
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Lukas is absolutely adorable! Adam is lovely – and managed to exceed his glowing reputation that I heard about in Saintfield. *Anna is, as ever, wonderful – spending time with her was wonderful. I don’t think I’ve ever had so many deep conversations in cars before in my life! Anna – I miss you so much and thank you for letting me stay for those few wonderful, though terribly short, days. – this bit has been written just as I’ve typed*
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Anyway, I’m actually sitting at Anna’s kitchen table writing this (and it’s on its fifth page) in the hope I’ll be somewhere long enough to type it. I better stop writing so I will! Hehe.

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So, there was the written post. Can’t believe I managed to type it – and read my horrendous hand writing!
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I should tell you what happened after I finished. I brought Lukas over a jigsaw puzzle – one which I think may be called an inset puzzle - it has like five pieces and they’re cut out of a wooden board, with only one possible place it can go into. This one was animals and a really cool jigsaw! When you put the sheep in its place it made a “baa” noise, the dog a “woof” noise etc. There are little contacts on the back on the puzzle piece that matched up with contacts on the wooden board which produced the noise.
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Anna had already gone to bed and Adam and Lukas were staying at Adam’s sister’s where she had the wonderful invention in 90 degree heat called air-conditioning so I was left with a task I don’t like even in my own house – turning off the lights. I turned off the one in the main living area, and I heard the jigsaw bark. I thought “Well, that’s a little odd but no worries”. Then I reached the stairs and switched of the lights in the hall and heard the sheep go. “Oh goodness, Anna has bought a haunted house….”. I decided to be brave – and get further from the ‘ghost’. I walked up the stairs and, at the top, faced another light switch. A silent prayer of “please don’t let me hear another animal noise” was offered up and it worked! But it was still kinda creepy – I think Anna thought I had gone mad the next morning when I told her – but what’s insanity between friends? Hehe.
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Anyway, this is now on it’s fourth MS Word page and, if you’ve read this far – congrats! It’s also ten past one in the morning (I’m sorry Ali!) so I should go to my nest.
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Hope everyone is well - and I think I speak for a large proportion of 17 and 18 year olds when I ask for prayers for Thursday.
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Rachxx

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Home Again

I crossed the NI border about two hours ago. Everything is safe and sound. (Except I can't find some presents but I'm sure they'll turn up). I am so tired!

San Diego zoo was fantastic - the animals were gorgeous. Especialyl the Polar Bears and the Pandas. Really really cute! Unfortunately, I'd forgotten to charge my camera battery the night before so it died shortly after we arrived. I did buy a disposable camera though so I have got some photos. I found that, with the disposable camera, I was more careful with what I took a picture of and I appreciated what I saw more. It seemed odd.

Seaworld was also fantastic. Really nice. The killer whales, dolphins, seals etc etc etc were amazing!

Getting to LA airport was fun. We stopped at Newport Beach and got our toes wet (my sister is a diehard OC fan). After arriving at the airport - and dad gratefully getting rid of the car - we found organised chaos! The li ne was *miles* long. Checdk was so slow. And after checking in you had to get into another queue to get your bag drug-tested. However, by the time we got to the second line (and there were loads of people behind us) it had closed, so we had to go to another line. At which I'd to get my disposable camera out of the bag in case it was wrecked etc.

There were also gate changes. And my dad's TV didn't work (although he got free drinks out of it). There were hold ups in Dublin etc etc. Absolute chaos. Although none of the American airports were that good.

Newark - we had to open our cases and chenge weight around and my flight was delayed so I missed the connection.

Las Vegas - I was selected for additional security. I had to go through this big machine - like a larger version of the metal detector, where you stand for a minute, while it sniffs you for drug traces! Then, after being scanned through the x-ray machine, my bag was opened and searched through. It was also tested in several places for drug traces. Loads of fun. My flight was delayed a bit.

Portland - I went to one airline's desk (which was, I admit, the wrong one - I'd read it wrong) and they told me to go to a different airline's desk (the right one) but then they told that it wasn't them I was flying with, and to go back to the other. At which point they had to listen to my fact that the other, first, airline, doesn't actually fly to San Francisco. Again, my flight was delayed a bit.

Saturday, August 05, 2006

I'm Blaming Rose....

Yesterday morning I replied to a comment from Rose saying that everyone fine. Well, we did the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, the Hollywood sign and headed down to Santa Monica.

We were expecting to leave around 4 or 5. We didn't leave to well after 8 - after over 3 hours of sitting in a Santa Monica ER (after mum saying how the hospitals are ranked really good). Now that that's got you "hooked", read on...

Steph and mum decided to walk along the Santa Monica Pier. Dad and I decided otherwise and we split up. Arranging to meet up in one of those British pubs that British tourists go on holiday to see.

Half an hour later mum came into the pub without Steph. Steph had gotten a fish hook stuck in her right foot - where the Achille's tendon is, while on Santa Monica pier. The first aid guys refused to remove it and she needed a tetnus shot anyway.

Three hours later we got out of the ER - after waiting, forms, sorting out insurance, an x-ray, several numbing injections, prescriptions, a tetnus - and a procedure never seen before so there were lots of people watching at the teaching hospital.

All very fun.... All very expensive!! Just for seeing a nurse it's $250! X-rays are also ridiculously expensive. But good old Tesco comes through again with up to $2million covered.

When we arrived at the hotel we were staying at last night and tonight we got checked in ok. But there had been a mix up - well, another family had a problem with their room and so were switched to another room -at the exact moment we were checked in. Two families. One room. Problem. It was resolved after a long and confusing wait and we got access tothe Clubhouse because of it - so free internet accesss, breakfast and tea-time snack.

Today we went to Disney which was pretty cool. Tomorrow we're hopefully heading down to San Diego to the zoo and SeaWorld. We are travelling back up to LA on Monday morning to get to the airport for 2pm before flying home at 5pm.

Oh, and I've discovered what's wrong with the American race. It's actually very simple. They don't have good tea. Anywhere. It's all disgusting. AND, to top it all, most of them seem to like that mouth-wash tasting Root Beer. Clearly this is the problem and steps should be taken to resolve it.

Anyway, not sure if this'll be my last update from the States or not - it's all fun and games. Thanks for tuning in anyway.

Rachxx

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Do one thing every day that scares you...

Well, I did so many today that's me covered for the next couple of weeks! I did four of the rollercoasters - including the fastest in the park and the longest wooden rollercoaster - and lots of the smaller rides.

It was a great day at Six Flags Magic Mountain and I'm now very sleepy.

Rachxx

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Now in LA

Hello Again Those Who Are Reading, (who is reading?!)

I'm now in LA - where it's a bit warmer which is nice. Spent the last two days at Morro Bay. We saw Hearst Castle and that's about it. We've been travelling laods. Before we got to Morro Bay we went North from San Francisco and had a Davison famiy reunion. Of course, that just added on time to the already long journey south. We did most of the Pacific Coast Highway route in the dark! So, we didn't see a lot. However, we had to go back up it the next day to get to Hearst Castle.

The last week, or just under a week, of the holiday are pretty full - Six Flags Magic Mountain Tuesday, Universal Studios on Wednesday, then maybe Disney on Thursday. Then we'll travel down to San Diego (over two and a half hours away) to do Sea World and San Diego zoo (and, yes, they'll let me out of there too Mr-Alcatraz-commenter). We have to be at the airport for 2pm on Monday and we won't get into the next airport until 24 hours from then!

One great thing about this trip has been the "spiritual" part of it - and holidays tend to be my worst time. It was great with Anna to just spend time with her and talk in the car aboout stuff etc. And in the travels from San Francisco there has been some hairy moments - getting lost (no, Paul, I was not navigating) and driving down a highway with no towns in sight, at eleven o'clock at night, with the fuel light on. But my prayers for a road sign and a petrol station were answered and it was great.

However, then today we called granny and heard of the news from home. Another person in my school year has lost his parent to cancer. He was diagnosed almost two years ago. It's a bit weird for those things to be beside one another. And my thoughts are with the family at this time.

I have just finished The Time Traveller's Wife - brilliant novel. Long, but good. Sad at the end though!

Rachxx

PS - I will update that five-page long account from Anna's at some point - I just do not have the time right now.

Thursday, August 31, 2006

All a little Scary..

For The Birds

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Holiday Photos

Monday, August 28, 2006

I've known it all along...

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Thirteen Years...

Friday, August 25, 2006

Help!

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Will Men Become Superfluous?

Monday, August 21, 2006

Courage

Thursday, August 17, 2006

It Finally Feels Like It's Over....

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Photos From Portland - check out the post below first!

The Portland Update

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Home Again

Saturday, August 05, 2006

I'm Blaming Rose....

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Do one thing every day that scares you...

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Now in LA

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