Most Disruptive

A film crew from a German TV company filmed our lecture on Egyptian Dentistry this morning. As our lecturer is a subject of a documentary they are making.

We were told just to sit and act as we normally would during a lecture, which is difficult when a large German man is pointing an even larger camera at you as you try to make notes.

The boom mike was constantly getting in the way of the slides and anyone who asked a question was zoomed in on. I kept my trap shut and refused the 'kind offer' to sit on the front row.

Thankfully there are no plans to show this on British TV. The camera adds 10 pounds dontcha know.

The Most Fun!!

Today was our Facial Reconstruction practical. We paired up (me and The Boy I Only Like As A Friend, strictly platonic and all that. Stop looking at me like that!) and were given the cast of a skull complete with facial depth markers, a guide to the anatomy of the facial muscles and clay.

Lots of clay. Which got everywhere!!

TBIOLAAF and I decided that as we were patently not artistic, we were in fact buggered. My artisitic skills have never really progressed passed stickmen, anatomically correct in so far as they generally have two legs, two arms and a circle for a head.

So our head ended up looking like a cross between Robin Williams and Spencer Tracy. With MASSIVE ears! Seriously they were like the length of his head. I didn't do that be so I refuse to accept responsibility. Though the fact his lips were wonky was totally my doing.

Anyway, comparison with the photo of the original skull's owner was not partiaularly favourable. But then neither were any of the other heads. At least Mork, as we called him, looked vaguely human.

Result!

Managed to get one of the last tickets to see We Are Scientists at the Academy in April!

Happy little dance time!!!

An Interesting Way To Waste Time

I heard about this website on Radio 2 the other day and thought it sounded like fun. It was set up by UCL and allows you to profile your surname by comparing the 1881 and 1998 censuses (or is that censi?). Anyway, it gives the basic meaning, the geographical spread and other stats.

Turns out my surname is quite common in Kentucky! So I may have hillbilly relatives!

Go on. Have a bash at the Surname Profiler.

From SB's site. See, this is why I am no good at flirting! It's proof.
:P

You Are 60% Boyish and 40% Girlish

You are pretty evenly split down the middle - a total eunuch. Okay, kidding about the eunuch part. But you do get along with both sexes. You reject traditional gender roles. However, you don't actively fight them. You're just you. You don't try to be what people expect you to be.

How Boyish or Girlish Are You?

No More Wasted Energy

I've come to a decision about The Boy I Like, it's just to much effort to like someone I don't have a chance with. So he will have to become The Boy I Only Like As A Friend.

I have neither the time nor the energy to waste right now. He's a great bloke and we get along well as mates, which I enjoy. It is only to be expected. I've never been much of a flirt so guys always see me as a friend. Despite my best efforts.

So friends it is. As I have to spend two weeks in Egypt with him and 6 others. So no tension allowed.

Anyway, I'll be far too busy freaking out over my science essays that are due in at the end of February to be fancying a boy. How's this for a fun 3000 words;

Discuss the scope and limitations of mass spectrometric methods for forensic investigation of ancient (2000 year old) tissue samples.

Please bear in mind the 2 HOURS of lectures we've had on mass spec, from a bloke who uses Microsfot Word to make presentations. There are 6 other questions but they are all equally vile.

I be afeared.

There Will Be A Serious Comedown

Oh dear. I have discovered that me and Diet Coke and Crunchie Nuggets mix a little too well. Have got a serious sugar high going on. Dancing about to 'It's Tricky' by Run DMC.

I have decided the following; despite the financial difficulty I am currently facing I am not going to let it get me down. I can apply for a hardship loan and I have some savings. I'll make it work.

I am going to get this MSc and then if it takes me six years to get a PhD, then I say bring it on!!!!

I'm going to lie down now, my extremities are tingling. That's not a good sign is it?

Suddenly my body doesn't seem so hideous

Just saw a documentary on Channel 4 (haven't started uni again yet, hence daytie TV addiction) about Pro-Ana websites and their effect on young women. If you haven't heard the controvesry about these sites, basically they support anorexia as a lifestyle choice and not as a mental illness.

A girl of sixteen joined up to these sites to help her get down to 7st for her school prom, while one of the founders of a website took an 18 year old self harmer under her wing to start their own 'restriction plan'. A starvation diet by another name.

But then there was Feodora, 17 years old and checking herself into rehab to battle her illness. She knew that Pro-Ana had been a major factor in her weightloss as the sites hints and tips told her how to further her weightloss and keep it a secret from her family. But she did the rehab and even made it to Leeds Festival despite nearly dying at the beginning of that year.

Looking at these girls so desperate to change their bodies to some unattainable ideal, I realised that I do like having curves and that I don't want to get rid of my boobs or my bum. So I need to lose a couple of pounds to get to a healthy weight, that I'll do. But no more.

I don't want my weight to become a major focus in my life. I like my body. Now, that wasn't as difficult as I thought. Resolution nun#mber 8? Piece of cake!!

They Should Have Ended It

My boss insisted that we would talk about my hours once I had gone back to uni, and the new hours system came in.

No such luck.

My hours have been cut to miserly 4 hours on a Saturday. Meaning that I am not earning enough to pay for 1/3 of my train fares, let alone 0ther essentials such as food and clothing.

So I am officially jobhunting. Again.

Suppose I could go on the game. I'm already screwed, might as well make it official.

Resolution No. 6 - Started!

I am really excited as it is all official now. Myself and six other coursemates booked our flights to Egypt yesterday.

Will be there from 16th March to 28th March, meaning I get to spend my birthday possibly on a sleeper train to Abu Simbel. Oh the glamour.

So after I finish my essay I can go and do grown up things like look at insurance and find out about hotels.

Soooooo excited!!!!!!!!

*bounces up and down in a state of extreme happiness*

Nooooo!

I've just completed Still Life, a point-and-click murder mystery by Microids.

It's brilliant. Great plot, characters etc. I have spent days solving the puzzles to find out who the killer is.

And after all that they don't reveal it!

As there was supposed to be a sequel but Microids got bought out by Ubisoft. So now I'll probably never know as they've also taken down the game's website!

What an anticlimax.

Come on guys, get your acts together. Farenheit has turned the adventure genre on its head, bring us that sequel!!!!

Can't Seem To Catch A Break

Not to whinge, as I have to be positive. Below stated resolution number 9 says I have to be positive.

Positive about the fact that my employers are changing the way the hours are worked.

Positive about the distinct possibility my lack of timetable will not able to be accommodated.

Positive about maybe having to leave a job I enjoy and am good at.

So I am positively fucked.

Resolution No. 17 - Done!

Go me.

Sis and I are off to Manc tomorrow so I may even get number 16 out of the way as well!

So It's 2006

I'll be 23 this year, God, I feel so old. So I suppose I should set myself some goals for the year. I never normally make Resolutions, but I need to take some serious action regarding my future. So here goes:

1. Lose another 5lb and finally get my BMI in the right range.
2. Try my hardest to get good marks in all my Master's coursework and exams.
3. Get my competitive streak under control, need to I can't always be Number 1 at everything.
4. Learn that second place does not equal failure.
5. Decide one way or the other. Am I a spinster for good, or do I really think I can handle another relationship (should the oppourtunity arise)?
   
6. Get to Egypt.
7. See more live music.
8. Be more positive about my body image.
9. Be more positive about myself in general actually.
10. Attempt not to have a breakdown during my exams.
    
11. Find a great project for my dissertation.
12. Start earning cash for a PhD.
13. Finish Crime & Punishment.
14. Balance my worklife with a social life of some description.
15. Be better at keeping in touch with friends.
16. Buy a corset.
17. Go somewhere other than La Senza and get measured properly (so I can achieve #16).
18. Confront fear of zombies, and possibly spiders. But not a the same time.
    

Shit, that's a lot. Best get started then I suppose.