From Under The Duvet..: February 2007

Saturday, February 24, 2007

I forgot to say...

...this blog has been here a year today! How exciting! Congrats if you've stuck it out this long! hehe! Here's to the next year - it looks like it's going to be even more exciting!

Labels: blogging

Five Favourite Quotations

I have been tagged by Ms Contemplative-Activist to post my five favourite quotations... My first reaction was of course "what?! only five?!". Here it goes!

Sometimes even to live is an act of courage. ~Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Letters to Lucilius

When you come to the end of all the light you know, and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: Either you will be given something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly. - Edward Teller

There is more to life than standing at the foot of the ocean and watching the waves crash into the shore; you have to get out your board and ride the wave.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. - Edmund Burke

“I hope that when you’re my age you’ll be able to say, as I gave been able to say… we lived lives that were a statement, not an apology” – Ronald Reagan. (I know, I know, quoting a Republican!)

But, with all due respect to the tagging I'm going to have to also include two subheadings!

Favourite quotations from CS Lewis.

“Enough had been thought, and said, and felt, and imagined. It was about time that something should be done.”

This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there. (In the Narnia books)

You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.

If I discover within myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.

Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.

And five quotations from another wonderful Irishman - this time the comedian Dylan Moran. (Imagine an Irish guy saying these - one who sounds very drunk so is all slurry - just to get the full affect!)

On Love
Money can't buy you love, but it can get you some really good chocolate ginger biscuits.

On Australia
"I love what you've done with the place, but this place is a prison, essentially, as much as you all like to deny it. I've seen insects with kneepads and you live approximately three quarters of a mile away from the sun."

On the German language
"It sounds like a typewriter eating tinfoil."

On the meaning of the word gay
"The meaning of the word 'gay' has changed. it used to mean all colourful and happy and homosexual but now it's a word children use to describe something that's a little bit 'meh'. 'You're eating Weetabix, oh that's so gay' " (the use of the word in this way really annoys me!!)

On Wales
“There are lots of excellent places in Wales to have to.. leave”

And I am going to tag.... Martin, Rach W, Rachel Jackson, Paul Bowman and... hmm... you! (whoever you may be!)

Labels: quotations

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Argh

I've just finished what will perhaps be counted as one of my worst essays to date on:

Consider critically the importance of the Resurrection for the original readers of the Gospel. [8]

It was utterly dire. But it doesn't matter, I'm tired and one bad essay isn't something punishable by death. The thing is it's the entire essay that's bad - at least in the Freud and Marx philosophy essay of last night it was just the conclusion that was dire... (I really hate Freud and Marx... I think I'm going to add them to my list of people I'd resurrect just to kill again.)

And, for the question noted above, I'm not actually sure if I made any real point or analysed anything... Oh dear.

It's not my fault. If anything this is all my teacher's fault as I'm nearly sure he was the one who gave me the flu in the first place, and it is clearly the flu that has caused all this brain cell extinction...

I'm discovering the reality of this quotation:

Behind every successful woman... is a substantial amount of coffee. ~ Stephanie Piro

I've got the substantial amount of coffee (which I am considering injecting through my eyeballs or something)... success is going to follow.... right?

Labels: essays, quotations

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Rituals, Rules and Reality

So, it’s Pancake Day! Exciting stuff. Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday – six weeks to Easter. There is no way courses will be finished easily! So, Lent… Is anyone giving anything up?
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I am. I’m wondering whether or not to post exactly what I’m doing in case I crash and burn! But hopefully y’all knowing will keep me accountable. So here it goes, my “lent rules” as I start out…
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I’m not eating chocolate or sweets! The exception of this will be the dessert I eat at the formal on March 22nd (it’s Death by Chocolate). I am limiting TV time – I’m not giving it up completely because it’s a relaxing thing for me! So I’m (loosely) allowing myself one programme a day – ER on Monday, Desperate Housewives on Wednesday, Dry Your Eyes or NCIS on Friday, rugby at the weekend. I’m also getting rid of computer games and being sensible with surfing time in general – because guaranteed if I just got rid of the TV I’d spend all extra time playing Freecell or something!
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All these things are to either free up some time for worthier pursuits (or help me spend said time doing schoolwork before the deadlines etc!) or to make me healthier! How long will it last? Well, let’s see…
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I’ve been wanting to blog for some time on this song so I thought I’d include it here: The Heart of Worship, by Matt Redman

Often in life we can say we’ll do things that just become habit to the extent they become meaningless. Like, my New Year’s Resolutions. I’m doing pretty well at them, not as good as I could but I’m still drinking MORE water than last year – I haven’t given up and I’ve improved. I count that as success!
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And the one perhaps I’ve done most “religiously” is the attending church every Sunday. Inevitably though I’ve found I’m less likely to go in the evening! But I’m getting up and starting the day at church. I do feel better for going and I do learn something. But, look at the song:
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I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it

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So often we make worship this empty, meaningless thing that we do to be seen to be doing it! We have quiet times because it’s what we do, nothing more and it’s squeezed in at the end of the day. So, hopefully this lent will be more about the heart issue – that I want to spend more time reading my devotional book and not just because the obsessional side of me feels I have to!
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I thought I’d share so here are some links from throughout my surfing zone recently.
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Firstly, look at this cute little girl! Born at 22 weeks! In England in 2004 1.6% (or 2,914 abortions) occurred after 20 weeks! Wow!
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Secondly, I’m really worried by some of the statistics in this paper! I realise that in this world there is an increasing openness towards sexuality and I don’t think that’s an inherently bad thing but can we please please let our tweens (7-12 year olds) be spared! At least until they reach their teens! And even then…!
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And thirdly there is this article. My goodness. Only in America! (And I think we should all offer up praise that currently that level of madness isn’t anywhere else!) If this guy gets away with it where could it lead to? It could set a new precedent about computer usage. We can’t neglect or dismiss the affect of the internet – I know I spend too much time on here – and I hope he gets the help he needs to control the effects of Vietnam etc. So, I completely understand his need to get help. I just worry about what the repercussions could be of setting this precedent – does his disability mean he should be allowed access to his sites of choice? Does that mean he should be given free reign? Does that not support the industry that objectifies women in a demeaning way – as mere objects for male gratification? I don’t know, am I being too harsh?
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And, finally, a little theological question for you. At the moment in philosophy we’re doing life after death (a fieldtrip for the class atheist, perhaps? He annoys me so much!) and we were asked what we thought the afterlife, if there is one, would be like. So the following pondering came up:
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– if heaven is a place where there is no sin and
– we are individual entities in heaven so we maintain some aspect of our being, but inevitable we are shaped by the sins we have committed throughout our lives
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How does it work? Is there the remembrance of sin in heaven? But could that not lead to guilt or sorrow or something? Come on Union/BBC people – I know you’re dying to comment!
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Anyway, ponderings from a very tired me!

Labels: articles, blogging, internet, lent, resolutions, worship

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Happy Hallmark Day

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Happy National Singles Awareness Day everyone!
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Me? Cynical? Of course not! (Warning, some people may not like some of the words used in this link - I do think it's really funny though!).
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I'm feeling a lot better today. I even managed to eat something - even if that something was my sister's idea of a toasted pancake. She was told to make me a toasted pancake (the only thing I've wanted to eat in a few days!) and she did the following:
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buttered the pancake
put sugar on the pancake
put the pancake in the microwave

Seriously.

Oh, and a lovely little Valentine's Tale for you all. In psychology class tonight there was a knock on the door and a guy popped his head round the door and asked if Paddy was there (Paddy is a girl). One of her friends said she was and the guy walked in with a gorgeous and big bouquet of roses, a giant Me-To-You Bear and a massive card.

Paddy was mortified and turned her head to face the other wall of the room - the guy just walked on out after unsuccessfully trying to serenade her. The teacher and her friends kept telling her that she should go after him and she refused.

He'd cheated on her last week and now wanted her back! Special times.

Labels: psychology, sick, Valentine's Day

Monday, February 12, 2007

Update Part II

I woke up this morning and could barely walk to the door of my bedroom. Needless to say I didn't go to school!

I did venture out to the doctor - my ears have been really sore and I seem to be rather prone to ear infections so I wanted to make sure. So, I went saying how I felt like I had the cold... And he told me I probably had the flu!

There's a lot of it going around at the moment and my health surgery does this thing whereby they ask people who come with with flu-y symptoms to allow two swabs to be taken so they can be tested and find out how much actual flu there is. Having a swab stuck up each nostril and one put down your throat is no fun!

But, regardless of whether this is actual flu or a flu-like virus the treatment is the same - plenty of rest and fluids, be doped up so much you forget what day of the week is and I have this horrifically vile cough medicine mixture which I was given with the sentence "it may help, it may not. If it doesn't help forget about it". Joy.

So, my day has been horrible and I doubt I'll feel much better tomorrow. I watched The Da Vinci Code. It was ok. But under my duvet (surrounded by tissues, fluids, drugs, oranges, cats, two hot water bottles etc etc etc) I'm too warm but if I even put a toe outside it I'm too cold!

Honestly, a guy sneezes and he has the flu but a woman goes to the doctor thinking it's only the cold and he tells her it's the flu!

Come on, I said I was sick but there's still enough energy somewhere to make comments like this!

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Labels: sick

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Update

I've got the cold!

And as for today's rugby... Gosh... The 79th minute! Are you freaking kidding me?! It shouldn't have been allowed to count! Hmmph.

Labels: rar, rugby

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Today

Today has majorly and completely sucked. Seriously. Stupid amounts of work. Lack of motivation - well, I suppose that's not true as it's more I've been so terrified by the mountain of work I wasted time just staring at the mountain!

Just finishing up an essay plan for a test tomorrow - on Freud and Marx... Then I promise I'll go to bed.

The question is... with with prospect of doing three sodding hours of statistics tomorrow night could tomorrow possibly be seen as being better than today?

Labels: bad days, busy, essays, hope?, stress, today, tomorrow

Sunday, February 04, 2007

The Weekend in Pictures

It looked really nice as we travelled towards the house that night (those are the Mourne Mountains).

Claire got drinking glasses!

The view we woke up to.

It was frosty! (I wish I could be taller!)

Breakfast had to be earned/won by finding two Jenga blocks in this meadow and forest area! I found two!

Breakfast was goooood (pictured is a *small* Ulster fry with hash browns).

We did some paintballing.

A river we later had to cross.

The snowdrops were out in the woody area.

As were toadstools.

Me crossing the river! A big well done to Rose who crossed it!

We got across and retrieved the briefcase!

We'd to go through a maze - this is me crawling under a bed.

Rose (you can see her hair), Stephen and Kathryn playing this game where you are shocked if hit the buzzer too early or too late when the music and lights stop.

Claire and Rose playing tennis on Wii - it was very cool! And I love my pig slipper socks!

We also did archery - here is Rose looking good.

One of my arrows went far! (Which is good for me as it was a right-handed bow).

The beautiful Mournes.

A pretty sunset.

Anyone think I'm obsessive? Where was the red 2?!

Stephen, the only guy there until late Saturday night, was in charge of cooking the sausages - and they were good!

Rachel was worryingly psychotic with the mashing of potatoes...

Rose and I played pool. (I won.)

The really pretty river.

It was a really good 18th birthday party - Rachel and Claire were really inventive and it was really cool! Although I am utterly wrecked - I feel 180! But so glad I went and had a really good time!

Then today Ireland beat Wales (19-9) at rugby - it was an awesome match! I didn't see Lucy the butterfly at church today - she didn't look great when I saw her last week so I hope she is ok!

Anyway, bedtime I suppose!

Hope you all have a good week!

Labels: weekend

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Experiments..

So, tomorrow I'm hopefully carrying out my very own wee experiment all on my very own! Eek! There are still a few wee creases to iron out - I've yet to be given what room I can use and I don't know how many pupils will be in Private study for me to take, but I hope it's going to work.

It's just a wee memory experiment with two conditions and sixteen participants in each. Hopefully I'll get the results I want - especially as I'm giving up my Sexy Fridays (TM) (ie the fact I have nothing to do after 11.50 and can go home at 1pm!) to do it!

Each week seems to be getting busier and busier!

Not only did I survive the dentist today - with no further work to be done, thank you very much! - but I also got my hair cut. All fun and games.

It's definitely bed time for this tired chick!

Labels: busy, psychology