first day of my life

Tiergarten

2007-05-17T20:39:00.000Z

I've been listening to Release the Stars (Rufus) and I adore this song! So, just thought I'd put the lyrics on here. I keep listening to it again and again....

Won't you walk me through the Tiergarten?
Won't you walk me through it all, darling?
Doesn't matter if it is raining
Won't you walk me through it all?

Even if the sun, it is blazing
Even if the snow, it is raging
All the elements, we must conquer
To get to the other side of town

I have suffered shipwreck against your dark brown eyes
I have run aground against your broken down smiles
Believe me when I tell you I have no place to go
But to go where the wild flowers grow and the stone gardens bloom.

Won't you walk me through the Tiergarten?
Won't you walk me through it all, darling?
Doesn't matter if it is raining,
We'll get to the other side of town.

2007-04-24T19:36:00.000Z

Can I just say, my current favourite song is Phantom Limb by The Shins. Listen to it here. Give it a few listens. It'll grow on you.

Can I also say that I feel really crappy about teaching at the moment; I'm failing to find positive aspects at the moment. I just keep thinking of my new flat :-)

Wincing The Night Away

2007-04-18T18:54:00.000Z

I've started listening to The Shins again. It sounds good on the first listen. I heard the song 'Australia' on the radio on Sunday (introduced by Fern Cotton who was on about The Shins and how Zack Braff loves them and that they were on the Gardening State soundtrack...tutut).

news and stuff

2007-04-15T18:36:00.000Z

It's been a long time since I've visited my blog... I thought I'd post some pictures of Lisbon as a way to de-stress. I'm going to be moving home in three weeks' time, which is good, but it couldn't have come really at a busier time (loads of exams, marking, reports this term) and the place I'm moving to needs decorating, new carpets and new furniture. Stress! But anyway, here are a few shots from Lisbon:

I really loved the tiles - "azulejos" - which were all over the city. Everywhere we went too we seemed to get an amazing view - hence most my pictures look over the top of Lisbon! I liked the place though. It was smaller than I expected, and the food wasn't great really - but it had a great atmosphere and the people seemed pretty friendly. Sintra was cool too (and cheap - we sneaked into the palace without paying - by accident!) and Belem was interesting, even though we spent most of the time lying in the sun. It was a well-deserved break... but got to get through this next month now and it's going to be super-stressful!

Ghosts

2007-02-08T21:06:00.000Z

I'm so glad I braved the freezing weather to see this film about the Chinese immigrant workers who died cockling at Morecambe Bay in 2004. I will think twice now about where the meat and vegetables I buy at Sainsbury's come from. And next time I moan about my living conditions or my job, I will also think about others' desperation which I so fortunately do not have to suffer. I will also visit the Ghosts website and make a donation to help raise the £500,000 pay off the debts of the workers' families still struggling to pay the money lenders. See it. What we saw on the news is not even half the story.

Set The Fire To The Third Bar

2006-12-18T21:56:00.000Z

It's almost a year since I bought Martha Wainwright's first album... I heard this song Set Fire To The Third Bar just now (Snow Patrol feat. MW). Not sure if I like it yet... Just listening to it now!

You can listen to it here.

a day out

2006-12-08T20:20:00.000Z

Woohoo, I've finally worked out how to get an image from my phone to my computer. How clever is Bluetooth??! To be honest I don't really get it- how is it different from sending an email or a text? Apart from being free?

This is a picture from last weekend in the Peaks (at Lady Bower Reservoir). It was actually a bright, sunny day, although you wouldn't believe it from the picture. It was good to be outside, away from my little desk, my planner and freakish housemate!

big rant

2006-12-04T15:43:00.000Z

I feel like having a big rant about a certain person that I live with. I've already had several moans to other people. I've been so looking forward to today - a day off - but because of this particular person I'm in a very bad mood. Who does she think she is giving orders to clean things that don't even need cleaning?! Like the oven, for example. Which normal person cleans the oven? Maybe people do once a year or so... All this apparently is because our landlord is visiting next week. It's not even dirty, neither is the fridge, nor the tiles in the kitchen. It's not like it's an inspection! What's he gonna do if there's a speck of dirt? Chuck us all out on the street? As for the heating it's a joke. There's not even been a frost yet but still the house is heated to what feels like 30 degrees and we have to keep it on because this woman says it gets cold in the living room. And who decided that we keep the heating on till 10 at night anyway? Not me. The house isn't cold enough to have it on for so long. And then I got a note this morning asking me to mow the lawn. It's WINTER for god's sake - NOBODY mows the lawn in WINTER. Not like it's going to grow any more really is it? And how dare she leave me a note asking me to do that?? This is my DAY OFF that I've been looking forward to for weeks and weeks and she just wants to ruin it all by getting me to do stuff for the bloody sake of it. Well, I've cleaned the inside of the windows today. Apparently this is a job that needs doing. Yeah right. I can't stand this obsession with hyper-cleanliness. She's just WEIRD. I swear it's so impossible to relax here. So I'm looking for somewhere else to live.. Then she can boss the next person around with her orders. (Bet they don't hang around long either.)

And she doesn't even own the house!! She's just a tenant too like me! I want to make a big horrible mess in the kitchen and leave it for a week and then see what she does. Grr, she's driving me mad.

Maria Full of Grace

2006-12-04T15:41:00.000Z

I saw this film yesterday...

藍色大門

2006-11-25T22:09:00.000Z

new weston park museum

2006-11-15T20:16:00.000Z

I forget, I did do something interesting~~ at the weekend I (and AM and R) ended up in the new converted now posh Weston Park Museum in Sheff. It's the same old stuff in fancy new rooms with nice new toilets and a huge shop. It was cool though. A whole building dedicated to the greatness of Sheffield. Snowy the Polar Bear is still there as are the drawers of dead butterflies and other decaying insects. The bit on Park Hill was really cool. Bit of a random museum, but it's still lovely!

there's no gossip here! sorry!

2006-11-15T19:43:00.000Z

Apologies for anyone who does read this that everything is pretty dull at the moment (it has been for some time).

I was on a course today in Quorn. (I never knew there was such a place!) It was fantastic to be out of school, not having to think really (I pretended to think a little bit but it wasn't very convincing!) So since techincally it was a day off school, I'm forcing myself not to work this evening. I've managed so far by spending time on the phone and playing the guitar (Teenage Fanclub's Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From). Need to get those strings replaced though.

So, this is it. Dull! Right, better go clean those bathroom walls....

2006-10-26T21:11:00.000Z

Look at all the pretty colours!

I like the guitar in this song

2006-10-26T21:04:00.000Z

I've been listening to Get Cape! Wear Cape! Fly!'s Once More With Feeling and I especially like this song because of the guitar.

_______________________________

Don't let the silence get you down
Though you've been sitting here for hours
Hoping a voice could soon be found that speaks much louder than this music

For you're a little off colour and out for the count
Don't let that get you down

Don't let the talking keep you up
If they're your friends they'll share your vision
And as the phone rings break the silence they don't figure out that you
Don't want to answer

For you're a little off colour and tired of the sound
Don't let it get you down

Don't let the people make you think that just because you're young you're useless
You know it's not naive to think that you can change the things around and that no man is an island

For I'd rather be a pebble in an ocean vast and drown alone
Than make no sound

_______________________________

And after seeing Jose Gonzalez play last night it made me realise that I've got a long, long way to go! He didn't play Heartbeats, but he did play a rather funky version of Crosses. This man is a genius!

K's birthday party

2006-10-08T17:01:00.000Z

Nice to see everyone again! That mix CD was quite good, whoever it belonged to!

2006-09-26T21:05:00.000Z

Why did we choose to do this? It's so so hard and it's not going to get easier for a long time. I want to be me again and enjoy free time. Instead I feel like a prisoner! It shouldn't feel like that should it? Do all jobs feel like that? I want to be Jenny again! Every day I feel incapable of doing my job properly. Not enough time in the day, demotivated learners. inability to finish anything properly. I don't want to give in, but it would be ok if I did wouldn't it? I'll go for as long as I can.

start of week 4

2006-09-24T19:57:00.000Z

It's Sunday night and I've spent at least five and a half hours of today planning. Planning four lessons! Ha ha. I'm waiting for the day when it takes just ten minutes per lesson.

I've been feeling quite positive today~ I don't know, I think teaching Japanese at the college on Friday really lifted my spirits and reminded me of the reasons why I decided to do this job. They were just excellent. They did what they were supposed to do, they laughed and had a good time. They left the room being able to do their self-introduction in Japanese. This is what I want! People who learn and want to learn and don't think I'm a pile of you-know-what.

The start of the week is always hell. Monday to Wednesday is pretty manic. So I'm dreading tomorrow even though it's Sunday and officially the weekend and so dread-free. Supposedly.

We're told to prioritise and do only the things that really need doing. But in my eyes I'm only doing what is necessary. Without doing what I'm doing my lessons would be more of a shambles and I wouldn't be fulfilling my job description.

I'm hanging in there. I'm trying to see the positives because I've committed myself and I'm not the kind to let people down. I just feel kind of solitary at the moment. School, home, my desk. Weekends to look forward to but that always end too quickly. I like spontaneity and randomness but it's impossible these days. Oh I shouldn't complain. There must be a million people who'd want to be in my position. Perhaps I'm too selfish and used to having everything I want that I am unable to come to grips with this new lifestyle. I resent it but I know I shouldn't. I should be embracing every minute and giving myself completely to these kids. I'm trying to and sometimes I do but I don't know if I can forever. I can only think of tomorrow right now.

wish you were here

2006-09-17T18:33:00.000Z

I've been listening to Pink Floyd~~

So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell,
blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
And did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found? The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

~~I want to listen to them more. Why have I never before?

うなずきん

2006-09-09T14:57:00.000Z

I need one of these! Check out Alan Lubin's blog.

R.E. and other thoughts

2006-09-08T19:52:00.000Z

Well it's the end of the first week and what a long, long week indeed it's been. I feel like I've been thrown into a big sea of water not being able to swim, just trying to keep my head above the surface. I've survived, but I don't know if what I've done is right or wrong, whether I'm too lenient a teacher, too soft, too inexperienced to be given such responsibility. The only thing that keeps me going is that if I can survive this first week of being a teacher, or at least if I can make it through till Christmas still sane, then I can do anything. And I'm not just saying that. This has felt like the hardest week of my whole life and I think it'll get worse before it gets any better.

What makes me laugh (not much made me laugh this week, only cry) is that I have to teach R.E. Yes, R.E. as in Religious Education. Apparently I had one extra free on my timetable so I've been roped into that. Thankfully I don't have to plan anything since it's all done for me, but what a joke! The school should spare a thought for the time it takes me to travel to the local colleges and primary schools! But the harder it is this year, the better equipped I will be to survive this 'job'. This probably isn't the place for me to moan about this but I am doing anyway.

I want to sleep for a long time tonight and close off the bit in my brain that makes me think about teaching so that I don't get that feeling in my tummy that keeps me awake.

Honest, it's probably not all that bad. It's just that that it feels like absolute hell at the moment!

And I miss Sheffield. It's true, it's the best place to be! (R, you'll see!)

i'm still here

2006-09-06T20:53:00.000Z

I've been absent from this blog for a while now due to internet complications in the new place. It's ok now, but no thanks to BT.

It's only the Wednesday of this year and already I've wanted to give up and run away but I'm still here trying to find my way through this muddle. (So far this is the longest week of my life.) Big GROAN.

However, I keep thinking back to the weekend when life wasn't so crazy and I saw Volver at last and played the guitar and ate Chinese (food). And back to last week relaxing in the spa at Centerparcs (very unexpectedly!)

I'll try and be more creative when I find the time.

tongue-tied

2006-08-26T19:47:00.000Z

There has been a lot of coverage this week of the decreasing number of pupils taking modern languages at GCSE and at A-level, thus forcing universities to limit the choice of languages offered or worse still, close departments, due to the declining number of linguists. There was an article in today's Guardian by Agnès Poirier, who gives us many valuable reasons for learning languages and why giving children the choice to drop languages at 16 is depriving them of access to whole new worlds. Here are some bits and pieces from her article, and the whole thing can be read here

Why can't languages be taught as compulsory subjects from nursery to A-level, as they are in almost every country in Europe? I didn't have much say in what languages I learnt back in France. It was obligatoire, no bargaining possible. I had to learn two new langues vivantes (though I could choose which two among a poor choice of five) and one or two langues mortes, Latin and Greek. If I had been given the choice, I probably wouldn't have chosen any, and right now I would be writing in French and living in Paris. What does a child know?

The majority of British youth are deprived of one of life's greatest joys: access to whole new worlds in which others see things differently, express their feelings and lead their lives in unexpected ways.

There is no secret: to really get to see things as others do, and thus to understand them, one must master their language and, in the process, endure hardship and ridicule. Not a job for the faint-hearted. Try it and you'll be mocked for your accent; you'll struggle to make yourself heard, let alone be understood; you will stumble on words, fall silent, unable to keep up the pace of the conversation; you'll suffer a thousand deaths, that of continual misunderstandings, the kind newly arrived immigrants face every day, everywhere in the world.

But once the many hurdles are passed, you are guaranteed heavenly surprises and otherworldly gifts. You lived your life in black and white; it is now in colour. A whole new horizon has opened up. This is precisely why there is so much clamour for tests to ensure that new immigrants to the UK speak good English.

And for those sceptical about the usefulness of languages, let's remember that having studied foreign languages can help you get a job, and a better one. One survey showed the percentage of graduates in single honours languages who were still looking for work five months after their graduation was 5%, and 11% for media studies.

When somebody refuses to learn someone else's language on the grounds that it is not useful, they implicitly reject the other's culture and their way of seeing the world - not a very good start for universal peace and understanding. Not a helpful way to make the world a more complex and richer place to live in either. Rather a recipe for unilateral, over-simplistic dogmas, such as the war on terror.

Now, let's get back to basics. What schools need to teach children is simple: mathematics, plumbing and three languages. Au travail!

songs for guitar

2006-08-24T20:02:00.000Z

I've been practising She's Losing It (from B&S's Tigermilk) since my last guitar lesson and I think I've just about cracked it. Well, to tell the truth, these chords should be barre chords, but since they're rubbish I'm not using that kind ;-)

I do want to learn something non-B&S next time. I gave NF guitarman a CD with some songs I'd like to learn, including these ones:

Here Comes The Sun (The Beatles)
Stockholm Syndrome (Yo La Tengo)
Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From (Teenage Fanclub)
New Slang (The Shins)
Something (The Beatles)
Labour of Love (Frente!)
Your Song (Love Psychedelico)
Northern Sky (Nick Drake)

Not sure which one I want to learn next. Maybe Stockholm Syndrome...

Little Fish

2006-08-23T22:52:00.000Z

I saw this film tonight. I'm too tired to think of anything to write. I thought CB was very good in it and I hope they all get their happy endings.

purple broccoli

2006-08-22T20:44:00.000Z

I'd never seen or heard of brocolli being purple before Sunday night. Apparently it's been growing in our garden and I didn't even know about it until it turned up on my plate! It tasted fine though. Still not understanding why it needs to be purple...

I saw 36 Quai des Orfèvres, or 36 as the title is in English. I kind of knew from the start I'd have trouble following and I did. I think I understood most of it though, with a little help from Mr S. I liked the music too, even if it was a little overbearing. Hopefully I get to see Little Fish tomorrow with my swimming friend!

I've also given in and signed up to a phone contract. I get a snazzy new phone for quite a bargain really and so many free minutes that I don't know what I'm going to do with. I'll be sad to see my little old one go, although it'll have a new life in Tenerife, so that's good.

I discovered new music that I like. I heard Don't Bring Me Down at the end of 36... You can listen to some of her music here Sia. I especially like Breathe Me too:

Help, I have done it again
I have been here many times before
I hurt myself again today
And, the worst part is there's no-one else to blame

Be my friend
Hold me, wrap me up
Unfold me
I am small
I'm needy
Warm me up
And breathe me

Je suis allée en Corse

2006-08-16T14:37:00.000Z

Long time, no blogging... Where has the summer gone? Only just over two weeks until the hard work starts again. Wish the summer would last forever!

I just spent a week travelling (I literally mean travelling, too!) on the island of Corsica. (By the way, I've been to France three times already this year. Not bad going really!) It's certainly beautiful, if somewhat touristy and full of Italians eating pizza, which I found rather odd (why eat French pizza when Italian clearly rules?). (Is this the French Tenerife?) And I don't even think we saw the most impressive parts.

You definitely need a car though, unfortunately. The public transport system is pretty thin on the ground (only one or two trains a day between the major 'cities') and basic... But I liked it. I liked the rattly old train that weaved its way through the mountains and past the goats chewing on grass. I even forgave the bus driver who wouldn't let me go to the toilet (since there wasn't one on the bus) as he kindly dropped us off at our campsite along the way to Calvi. We moaned a lot about dog poo, the smelliness, no public toilets (or if there were some, no lights/loo paper) and long queues, but I still do love France and would really like to go back and discover the real Corsica...

Here are a few snaps I took along the way:

These are some of the old buildings you can see in Nice in the old part. Nice was pretty chaotic - not really that impressed. But the moon shining over the sea was beautiful... I've never seen this before! (The picture's a bit rubblish though...)

Trying to keep cool in Calvi on our posh sunbeds...

Blueness... the sea around the citadelle...

This is where we stayed in Calvi. Possibly the cleanest campsite ever! We even managed to make cups of tea on our little stove here... (This was one of the best bits of the trip.)

We even spent time in a car park in Italy. (Yes, that's right. We did!)

A week is definitely too short. Next time, two weeks, a car, proper camping equipment and no lilo to carry in a Lakeland bag!

It was a good trip. Here's to more camping adventures!

barre chords

2006-07-24T18:36:00.000Z

i hate them so much that i wanted to throw my guitar and scream! why is it so hard? i don't see the point in learning them when it's much easier to play them in the normal way. damn barre chords!

2006-07-12T14:18:00.001Z

Thanks for the party! I like this picture a lot:

this is cleethorpes

2006-06-30T20:48:00.000Z

Always wondered what Cleethorpes was like... This is what it is like. Pretty rubbish. Sheffield is MILES away from the seaside. And the fish and chips were rubbish too and the beach was too windy. I enjoyed the experience nevertheless... And at least it was sunny. The best part of the day was the tent shopping though. Shopping to go camping is just so much fun. I never realised that before!

2006-06-24T21:26:00.000Z

Does anyone else feel sorry for Pete?

hairdo

2006-06-24T16:03:00.000Z

It was the PGCE ball last night and L from work came to do my hair. It took us three attempts but in the end I was really pleased with it. Thanks L!

2006-06-20T20:32:00.000Z

I stole this photo from Andy's blog because I like it.

petrified

2006-06-20T16:09:00.000Z

Whenever I go to talks to hear about the NQT year I always regret it. I feel first of all intimidated by all the other new teachers who I consider to be much more capable than me and also by the fact that apparently it's really, really, really hard. I'm sick of hearing this. I don't feel ready to be a teacher. I don't feel competent. I'm really scared and I don't know how to shake myself out of feeling this way. I don't want to sign life away for a year. I want to have a life and friends and do fun things too. But I also don't want to let anybody down.

JUNEBUG

2006-06-15T14:19:00.000Z

I saw this film on Monday and I seriously recommend it. Although I found it hard to warm to the characters, except Ashley (Amy Adams), who is a sweetheart, there's just some kind of magic about this film that I can't put my finger on.

end of school experience 2

2006-06-13T18:03:00.000Z

Just a quick note or two on today... last day of teaching practice. Next time I'll be a real teacher! I didn't really feel sad to be honest, although I felt that I should. I think I learnt a lot at that school, but the learning curve was no where near as steep as at the-other-school-where-I-got-my-job. Yeah, I'll miss some of the kids, and AB was kind of like a mum to me, and some of the staff were great too. I just didn't appreciate being a spare part really.

Anyway, uni tomorrow to present our "project". Should be fun...

Just off to run to R's to give her her birthday brownie that I made... She's vegetarian - better not be fussy about butter and eggs!

shopping in Fopp again...

2006-06-10T19:58:00.000Z

more adventure in sheffield

2006-06-04T18:05:00.000Z

Recovering from a nap after an exciting afternoon of visiting Forge Dam (a big pond near S's house which leads out to the Peaks) and then Redmires reservoir. Honestly though it doesn't sound exciting but it was fun to be walking in the fresh air admiring the countryside. And it was sunny for a bit, so well worth it. (And the tea the Forge Dam cafe was pretty good too.)

Here's a pic of the reservoir. We walked across the moorland too (in my non-sensible shoes) and saw some lost sheep and lots of moss:

Only three weeks till I have to pack up and leave Sheffield again (oh, I'm feeling sorry for myself...) I've really started to think of it as home recently. Even doing the mundane things here are more exciting than in York. Boo I'm going to miss Sheffield!

-----------------

S just sent me a picture of a very big hole that was near the reservoir. We couldn't even see to the bottom of it:

Scary eh!

almost the end

2006-06-01T22:05:00.000Z

I just re-read an entry I wrote in August last year. It seems only weeks ago that I felt those feelings~ anticipation, worry, panic, lack of confidence... And now I look at the calendar see that there are just four weeks to go till the end. Looking back I was being silly but now I think, wow, I made it... (And in the end it wasn't so bad.)

Now I'm feeling the same things about this coming September. This time bigger challenge, new move, new life. I resent this every time. But I need to do the same as last time - see it as a challenge, an adventure. (Not as real life.)

June 27th will be another end-of-an-era. Another year of memories to store, happy and sad, of highs and lows. A rollercoaster year.

I know I'm waffling and being too sentimental, but I hate endings, even if I think I hated what came before or didn't enjoy it. There's always something to be learned from every experience.

Anyway, enough!

The Showroom cinema tomorrow for a guided tour and information about the usefulness of teaching languages through film.

new guitar

2006-05-31T10:13:00.000Z

I am very excited because this week I am going to invest in a good guitar. My teacher NF is going to look for one for me so that I don't buy a pile of rubbish again. I can't wait! To be able to play chords without my fingers being ripped apart by an egg-slice! I'll post a picture as soon as the purchase has been made! Woo!

-------------------------------------------------------------------

And here it is! I'm not sure I like the cut-away corner, but it plays nicely and my guitar teacher said the sound is 100% better than my old one ;-) I really do have to keep up my practise and lessons now!

look at me!

2006-05-30T16:29:00.000Z

Just to prove that I DID go to Tenerife and swimming too~ It was good to see the sunshine even if I came back with an evil cold and can't hear or smell anything (poor me).

It was hard to be in a foreign place and not only not be able to speak the language (well, I tell a lie - I can tell the time in Spanish) but also not be 'allowed' to practise it. It's such a shame that the island has been over-run by Brits and Germans who fail to make any attempt to use Spanish, even when it comes to saying 'thank you'. Something in me was stopping me from using English, so I ended up pointing a lot and nodding.

Despite being thoroughly annoyed by the ignorant Brits (except my parents, of course, who are at least trying!) it was a good couple of days. My back hurts from the sunburn and my nose is running non-stop, but I love to do spontaneous things like that. And the apartment is nice (especially the sofa!)

Judy and the Dream of Horses

2006-05-22T19:38:00.000Z

I found the tab and it's easy to play! Well, the chords are anyway... Don't know if I can do all the fancy stuff but I'm managing to play along with the song (to some extent!) So, it's going to be my motivational first song on the guitar... (That's if NF agrees to teach it to me!)

I might be off to Tenerife this weekend (!) Due to the rubbishness of British solicitors and Spanish law I might be needed to sign important documents out there (well, at least it would be sunny). British weather is only good for depression.

Edinburgh

2006-05-15T16:58:00.000Z

I had fun in Edinburgh this weekend! I want to post some pictures but not sure that those on them would be in agreement, so they're on

flickr

Take a look!

I had my second guitar lesson on Friday. NF is a good teacher. He has so much good advice, and I reckon if I do exactly what he says and practise loads then I might have a chance of getting better! I have to start thinking of tunes I want to learn. There're so many B&S ones I'd like to play, but how do I choose~

My only purchase of the weekend was Devendra Banhart's Nino Rojo. Nice album cover!

I have also ordered Jamie's Dinners - it's been ages since I got a new cookbook (excluding my Be-Ro one). Who wants me to cook for them?

summer festival!!

2006-05-06T17:29:00.000Z

Anyone interested?

What: O2 Wireless Festival
Where: Harewood House, Leeds
When: Sunday 25th June
Who:

THE FLAMING LIPS
THE WHO
THE ZUTONS
SUPER FURRY ANIMALS
EELS

Come on people!

compulsory voting?

2006-05-04T16:12:00.000Z

I just voted. I had to walk around Springfield Lane looking for the primary school (nursery section) in the heat carrying my super-heavy Beanies bag full of textbooks/flashcards/randomness. I eventually found it, with a bit of s struggle. I had a bit of a discussion should we say with S at school yesterday who disagreed with voting being a duty. I told him it was. He didn't agree! But it SO is!! Isn't it? Marcel Berlins in the G2 yesterday agreed with me:

"They (crititcs) claim that we have a right, in a free society, to abstain from participating in the democratic process. We don't. What we've got is a duty as citizens to play our part in shoring up democracy, just as we have a duty to the criminal justice system to sit on a jury".

Yep. I think so. I didn't want to cast my vote, because it wouldn't do any good and to be honest I don't feel like voting for anyone right now. That's my fault though - I should have found out about my local MP and candidates, but am too lazy, like the rest of the country...

2006-05-01T19:56:00.000Z

Some good things happened today:

1. I spoke to my new HoD who really put my mind at rest - and gave me good advice about where to search for a place to live (a place called Beeston in Nottingham where there're lots of good pubs and nice shops, apparently!)

2. I practised the guitar and I think (maybe!) I'm getting a bit better!

3. I had a surprise phone call, which was a very, erm, nice surprise!

4. I found a quick way to make the millions of hiragana flash cards I've decided to make, thanks to a random man called Tadashi who is very kind!

But found out I can't go to the Festival of Japan at Masham because it's on a weekday (rubbish!) :-(

Don't want the day to end because that means it's Tuesday tomorrow and back to school. Oh no.

a better day (the sun is shining too!)

2006-04-25T14:28:00.000Z

I'm just posting this so that next time (probably tomorrow) I feel like s*** about teaching, I can read this and feel better! I had a good lesson with my Y8s this morning (and it dawned on me that these kids were the ones I taught back in October when we first started the course, with S and C!) So, I feel a kind of fondness for them now and will not feel fed up when I have to prepare their lessons (I'll try anyway). The other thing that was good was that when I got to Y13 French, one of the 'kids' (they're not really kids I guess - just a few years younger than me!) said, "Oh, good, we've got a good teacher"! I share teaching them with two other teachers... I was quite taken aback! (Yes, I'm sure you're thinking he was being sarcastic, but I tell you he wasn't!) And then we had a really nice class on the subjunctive of all things (grammar is great!) and they were lovely, thinking that I had the key to the whole French language!! So sweet. I'm trying to think positive thoughts because I have to get on and plan for the awful Y9s tomorrow, for which I'm getting observed for... ugh. Seven days left of full timetable at school... This is what I have to keep thinking!!

The Squid and the Whale

2006-04-23T19:20:00.000Z

Sorry WY - for posting the exact same picture... I like this poster though. And the film was very good indeed. Although I can't exactly say it was funny (as the reviews had led me to believe). It was funny in parts, but too sad to laugh at! Every film I seem to have seen recently has been sad - or maybe I'm just too emotional these days! In a way it was too short - I wanted to know what happened after it ended. After Walt walks out on his father in the hospital. Is it possible to like any of these characters? The kids' behaviour I guess is understandable, but the parents... I did feel sorry for Bernard, but he seems pretty stubborn, and Joan's behaviour was unforgiveable, although I think she genuinely loves her kids. And when Bernard begs Joan to take him back, promising he will try harder, you almost wish she will, just for the kids.

Hey You is haunting... but an excellent song. Maybe I will try and get into Pink Floyd now.

Transamerica

2006-04-17T19:34:00.001Z

I forgot to add that I saw this film the other day.

I'd heard good stuff about it and was impressed. What impressed me the most was how he (she) was played by a she! I couldn't get my head round it. And I didn't even realise this until I read some reviews after seeing the film. Felicity Huffman was so convincing that I really did think she was a man! (Although at points during the film I did think she (he) could probably pass as a woman!) Anyway, I guess I should be saying more intelligent things about this but I was just dead impressed by all that. A good story though, if maybe a little unbelieveable in parts. Not sure about the whole "road movie" thing, but I suppose it didn't take over too much. Next film to see = The Squid and the Whale.

no, not any more!

2006-04-17T15:29:00.000Z

Thanks to R, I've managed to add a few bits and pieces to the blog. Looks better, doesn't it?

I don't understand why the weatherpixie claims it's 23 degrees in Sheffield! Have I got the wrong Sheffield?

does this blog look boring?

2006-04-16T16:38:00.000Z

I'm beginning to think that this blog looks (and reads!) a bit dull. And for all that I do like the Mogwai picture it freaks me out a bit every time I look at it, so I'm going to do a new entry (and ask R how he gets his blog to look dead cool and trendy).

I went to Chatsworth today! Science K (different from Flatmate K) kindly offered to take me along in the car for a drive to Chatsworth because she wanted to get her mum a pressie from the shop (and in the end got her a pink bucket for doing the gardening - pretty cool, eh!). It was lovely! The sun was shining and we ended up walking to Baslow for a cup of tea. It was so good to be outside - I've really felt like a prisoner this week being trapped in doing assignments (am not even thinking about being in my room tomorrow too planning). It was good to have a good old natter about random things and forget the other annoying stuff.

Ooh, exciting news: I found a guitar teacher! I rang a guy up quite randomly this morning (found a list of guitar teachers in Sheffield on the web) and I'll have my first lesson in a couple of weeks! I can't wait! I just wish I could practise a bit but I don't know how to change the string that's broken and I don't want to mess it up. I also need to buy a case for it so that I don't have to carry it around in a bin liner like I have been doing (so embarrassing!) This is exciting! I just figured that waiting around to have more free time is never gonna work, unless I wait till I'm retired, so may as well get on and do something! Yay!

My lastest purchase

2006-04-12T14:55:00.000Z

Mr Beast, Mogwai.

There's one track in Japanese, but I don't seem to be able to find the lyrics anywhere.

more trip!

2006-04-11T13:09:00.000Z

I'm back in Sheffield after travelling all over the place the past week or so. After a week in France, I came back to Sheffield for a few days, then went to London (very cool - saw J, saw a show - perhaps I was a little disappointed by that though - ate at Tokyo Diner, visited all the stuffed animals in the Natural History Museum... Hmm). Then York, then Glasgow (cool too - saw a lot of Rennie Macintosh things, the University, the Burrell Collection - actually that was bit boring - shops, cafes, fish & chips with no mushy peas, cute guy who sold me a new guitar string!) I want Macintosh to design my future house interior!!

I've literally just finished writing up my research project (one of the millions of assignments I have to do this holiday). Much quicker than I expected, but no brain power left today to start the next one.

I've been listening to (after meaning to get hold of this album for yonks) The Flaming Lips:

AM was right - they're dead good! Don't they have a new album out or something or single? I like the first one: Fight Test. I like hearing new music that I really like. Always puts me in a good mood~

trip!

2006-03-31T16:52:00.000Z

Here are a few snaps of my trip to France (actually the pics are taken in Brussels, although I guess you wouldn't know from looking...) Can you spot Tintin? Brussels was cool, but actually we only ended up spending about an hour in the actual city itself... We had to waste the whole morning in MiniEurope (woo) waiting for our tour guides. I spent most of our free half hour looking for decent frites au mayonnaise, unsuccessfully (they were rubbish). Should've got a waffle instead! However, during our second trip into Belgium (Ypres) we did manage to get some decent chips!

We also got to visit Flanders and some war cemeteries. Very touching indeed, although hard to contemplate everything having to escort 39 kids around. Especially moving was the cemetery where John McCrae was based and his poem 'In Flanders' Fields'.

I'll write more later and try to make it sound less like I'm writing a postcard.

opera

2006-03-18T21:15:00.000Z

This is actually my second opera! The other one I saw was at the Opera Garnier in Paris so can't really compare... (Last time I was at the Grand Opera House was for Rufus - almost a year ago!) It wasn't the best time for me to see a tragedy, although looking back it was the best thing to do. I just got back from home~ I feel refreshed and ready for the week ahead. I'm so lucky to have great friends (thanks people) and a great m&d... Life does exist outside the world of PGCE (it's official).

2006-03-16T00:18:00.000Z

Through a mixture of impatience and lack of thought I think I've screwed something up that I shouldn't have. Will I ever learn from my carelessness? I think it's time for me to escape this pgce life for a bit and take a bigger look at things. Maybe they'll seem clearer then. I hate the rollercoaster feeling of teaching (in one day I can have so many emotions) on top of the rollercoaster of what they say is 'life'. I feel exhausted. Gosh, I am feeling sorry for myself tonight. I wish sometimes we could put life on hold to have a look at it from a distance instead of being all tangled up not knowing which way to go or what to say.

Time to organise my files or something.

someone switch me off

2006-03-14T20:57:00.000Z

Feeling really confused these days. I like this though: 'nothing is good or bad, only thinking makes it so...' Sometimes I wish I could stop myself from thinking but being the person I am I can't help it. I always wonder about what's going to happen and it's scary not being able to be in control of things. Oh well.

This is waffly I know... Why can't things just be black and white?

Moan over.

new things to look forward to:

2006-03-13T20:28:00.000Z

1. Being able to afford a car and a nicer place to live (I got the job...)
2. France 24/03-30/04
3. London, incl. the West End! 03/04-04/04
4. Glasgow 06/04-08/04
5. Fish and chips lunch this Saturday
6. Two uni days this week
7. The Leadmill? again.

Can't believe they offered it to me~ No going back now!!

If someone asked me, 'what makes you happy?', I think I would say 'having lots of things to look forward to'! So there we go.

Gemma Hayes, The Leadmill, 11.03.06

2006-03-11T23:03:00.000Z

Capote and other things

2006-03-05T20:17:00.000Z

I saw Capote last night.
To be honest I wasn't that thrilled at going to see it, but I hadn't had a trip to the cinema in a few weeks and since this got such a good write-up I didn't think it would hurt. I think I'm getting old though. Each time I go to the cinema, films seem incredibly long (or maybe that's just because I don't like them). Anyhow, it turned out to be excellent. I couldn't watch the scenes with blood (not too many though) or of people dying, but apart from those bits it was pretty gripping and I didn't fall asleep! And like K I was relieved there was a conclusion. Didn't have to sit wondering all night what happened and who did what. (Don't even mention Hidden to me...)

Last week was pretty much a roller-coaster. Started off with a high after getting a glowing teaching observation from my university tutor (this guy is even head of the whole PGCE course... not just MFL!) I mean, he couldn't critcise me at all. Bit weird, but true! Things plummeted on Thursday though and it's complicated so I'm not writing about it here. And Friday seemed to go well, but then Fridays are always good. This one was good because S and I went to MASH. Only people who have heard of MASH will appreciate what I mean... I mean, it's virtually impossible, unheard of even, to walk into there and ask if there is a spare table and for them to say yes. But they said yes this time! We were quite shocked. Guess the snow had put people off making the journey in. It was lovely though. Delicious food~~ although of course the portions were too small. But yummy food indeed and good company:-) Followed by getting to see my coursemates. I feel so guilty though as these days it seems to take so much energy to hold a normal conversation that I'm worried people think I'm rude...

I got to catch up with K no.2 yesterday too, and R (went to her flat for the first time!) and also eat pancakes and yummy Chinese soup (thanks to WY!). I love weekends. Why do they end?

Thoughts are now buzzing around in my head about not being a teacher. It's hard and stressful and I feel such a loser for thinking like this but if it's not making me happy then why should I dedicate my life to it when I'd rather be poor but have free time to learn guitar and languages and have fun? Is that the wrong attitude?

not much

2006-02-25T17:53:00.000Z

I'm cooking roast chicken (last Sunday too I made Sunday roast for S and I~~ it was quite good!). I've recently been missing mum's proper Sunday dinners, so from now me and flatmate K are going to make the effort to eat properly on Sundays. I also got hold (eventually!) of a Be-Ro cookery book. Been meaning to get a copy for ages now. Have now thanks to eBay! Actually it's been a good day for food (full English breakfast at Lynne's Pantry followed by dessert. Never had dessert with breakfast before!)

I don't have much to say... it's been a week of hard, hard work and tiredness. I'm feeling a little refreshed today, but the work has to start again tomorrow~~ But why won't it stop raining? It's rained here all week and now today.

Ooh, I got tickets to see Gemma Hayes at the Leadmill (maybe I'm more excited about finally being able to go to the Leadmill!)

I get to see ESOTSP tonight. I wonder whether it's a comedy or not.

Oh, and I got the latest Dave Eggers short story collection. Looking forward to reading those! Short stories are all I can deal with right now~~

Spanish 4

2006-02-23T21:32:00.000Z

This is just a quick entry to record the fact that I went to Spanish, despite being exhausted ;-) It was good. We learned how to compare things. Haha, more interesting though than the lesson I did this week on the comparison. Just wish I had more time to learn Spanish out of class...

An OK day at school. Two good-ish classes. Dreading year 9 last period tomorrow (Friday!)

2006-02-22T21:36:00.000Z

My free subscription to Lovefilm.com is going to run out soon, so I'm making the most of it and staying up late to watch movies when I shouldn't be... I have also requested 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'. Anyhow, the film I saw last night was good! I liked this one much better than the first. I love the dialogue and what they say kind of makes sense...

I had a bad day though. One class was such a disaster that I was so annoyed with myself for not preparing properly. I guess I learned a lesson though. The other one was ok, but I just feel the content was so dull. But, how can learning how to compare things in French be exciting? If I had been a pupil in today's class I think I would probably have fallen asleep zzzzzzzz

I'm listening to Gemma Hayes at the moment. My flatmate K tells me she's playing in Sheffield soon. I think it'd be cool to go.

big stress

2006-02-20T21:33:00.000Z

I didn't have a busy day at school, but I got home and ate then started work again at six and I've only just finished now... (look at the time - gone nine thirty...). How long is this keep-uppable? This is without marking and a full timetable. Oh I feel like I'm drowning... Should I apply for that job? Will I be able to cope? Ugh. And I miss the company of my coursemates every Friday. The 'fun' part of the PGCE is definitely over. Groan.

Mardy Bum

2006-02-20T19:33:00.000Z

I like these lyrics! From my favourite Sheffield band:

Now then Mardy Bum
I see your frown
And it's like looking down the barrel of a gun
And it goes off
And out come all these words
Oh there's a very pleasant side to you
A side I much prefer

It's one that laughs and jokes around
Remember cuddles in the kitchen
Yeah, to get things off the ground
And it was up, up and away
Oh, but it's right hard to remember
That on a day like today when you're all argumentative
And you've got the face on

Well now then Mardy Bum
Oh I'm in trouble again, aren't I
I thought as much
Cause you turned over there
Pulling that silent disappointment face
The one that I can't bear

Can't we laugh and joke around
Remember cuddles in the kitchen
Yeah, to get things off the ground
And it was up, up and away
Oh, but it's right hard to remember
That on a day like today when you're all argumentative
And you've got the face on

Yeah I'm sorry I was late
Well I missed the train
And then the traffic was a state
And I can't be arsed to carry on in this debate
That reoccurs ,oh when you say I don't care
Well of course I do, yeah I clearly do!

So laugh and joke around
Remember cuddles in the kitchen
Yeah, to get things off the ground
And it was up, up and away
Still it's right hard to remember
That on a day like today when you're all argumentative
And you've got the face on

花火

2006-02-18T21:27:00.001Z

guitar practice

2006-02-17T18:19:00.000Z

Look at us playing the guitar! WY is much better than me, but I'm really pleased I managed to learn to play a song in a few mintues (and it didn't sound too bad... at least I hope not...). Now, I just 'tuned' my guitar and when I play it it sounds completely out of tune! What's wrong with it? I hate not understanding how things work! I just want to play a song and it sounds horrible~~~ I even bought one of those things to clamp onto the strings especially so I could play Frente's Labour of Love, and now my guitar is being goddamn awkward! GRR.

we found a rainbow...

2006-02-14T21:01:00.000Z

...can you see it?

gnocchi

2006-02-12T19:12:00.000Z

I made spinach and ricotta gnocchi for my tea. I'm not sure that I got it right though - they were a bit too sloppy and I felt too full of cheese by the time I'd finished. Maybe it should've been a starter and not a maincourse...

Japan Day was fun. The taiko drumming was amazing... I've never seen anything like it before (I should've made more of an effort in Japan to see it). Ayumu Takahashi was interesting to listen to - although I think the 'interview' dragged on a little too long (I saw plenty of Japanese people around me doing what they are best at - falling asleep in public places. Hmmm). He seems like a cool guy, but I'm not sure that he would have become so famous had he been of a different nationality (I mean, stepping outside the circle is a brave and unique thing to do in Japan, although here it wouldn't have been so unusual). Nevertheless his lifestyle is one that I think many people would envy. I wonder what he said though about being free and just doing what you want in life is as easy as he said it is.

The gyudon made by S last night was yummy (I was pleasantly surprised!). The inari too... Let's hope this isn't a one off, I mean this cooking thing! Fingers crossed there'll be more of where that came from. I think I want to try making tempura with my new fryer.

Gotta sleep now (at 7.30) - serious lack of sleep for the past few days!

2006-02-08T21:51:00.000Z

Finally the gig of the year arrived!! I was not disappointed in the slightest, not even by The Brakes, who were supporting. In fact, they were quite entertaining~~ especially the song entitled 'Comma, Comma, Full-Stop'. Bit short, but good. Anyhow, B&S just sounded great: great sound, great crowd, great lighting, jokes, songs played... They played a lot (maybe too many) of the new songs, but somehow hearing them live made me like them even more (bearing in mind I don't have the album yet, having just listened to some tracks online). 'The Blues Are Still Blue' has particularly grown on me... The rest of what they played mostly came from Tigermilk - even 'Electronic Renaissance', which I never thought could sound good live. They didn't play much from the previous album, just a token 'I'm A Cuckoo', and 'Dirty Dream No. 2' from The Boy With The Arab Strap, but did quite a lot of the EP stuff - including 'La Pastie de la Bourgeoisie' and 'Loneliness of the Middle Distance Runner'. Ooh, and 'Your Cover's Blown'... which I hadn't heard in a long, long time. My favourite part of the night was when Stuart did a survey of how many girls were in the crowd (for some reason, B&S gigs tend to be dominated by men...) and told the guys to sit down... Haha, he almost made them stay there for the whole song so that us girls could get a good view of the stage for at least one song... Ugh, one of my looking forward to things has already disappeared... I'll have to start making my list longer!

楽しみにしている

2006-02-08T21:12:00.000Z

It's mid-week and I have loads of things I'm looking forward to:

1. Belle and Seb tomorrow night (woo!!!!) (But still haven't managed to listen to the new album.)
2. Having a visitor come and stay!
3. (Possibly) The Romans in Britain on Friday night (otherwise fun stuff like chips from the Devonshire Chippy).
4. Having Japanese food cooked for me at the weekend.
5. Japan Day at Sheffield Uni on Sunday.
6. A whole week of NO SCHOOL!!
7. A visit back to York.
8. (I hope) a trip to somewhere by car (if we can get the car).
9. Trying out the new cookbook sent to me by Fre.

Isn't it lovely having lots of nice things to look forward to?

This week my teaching so far has been pretty rubbish. Because I'm not doing much teaching yet, it's really hard to get involved and motivated. Plus for some reason I don't feel much of a connection with the kids. Yet. Maybe this will come with time. I don't feel like a real teacher yet at this school either~~ I'm not moaning, just saying it's not how I expected it to be.

I had a Japanese lesson today with Saori. It was good to be the one being taught again. Had a long telephone conversation with T too. I miss having him around at school!! How we took Aldercar for granted~~ I miss our chats on the way home in the car :-(

Does anyone have anything particularly cool to look forward to?

I See You, You See Me

2006-02-06T22:01:00.000Z

Wanyu's blog entry reminded me of a really great song that I like a lot. It goes like this:

'I never wanted to love you, but that's okay
I always knew that you'd leave me anyway
But darling when I see you, you see me

I asked the boys if they'd let me go out and play
They always said that you'd hurt me anyway
But darling when I see you, I see me

And it's alright
I never thought I'd fall in love again
It's alright
I look to you as my only friend
It's alright
I never thought that I could feel there's something
Rising, rising in my veins
Looks like it's happened again'

(I didn't know they were American. But that's okay.) I absolutely love the female vocal.

Why is there nowhere exciting in England to visit (except London and Edinburgh)! I can only think of the Lake District, Cambridge, Cotswolds, Oxford (?)...

Ballad of the Broken Seas

2006-02-05T09:23:00.000Z

I bought Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan's Ballad Of The Broken Seas. Campbell has the sweetest voice I ever heard, although the whole thing is very un-B&S-like, as I had kind of hoped. After a few listens, I so far like '(Do you wanna) come walk with me' and 'It's hard to kill a bad thing'. This music will keep me going today whilst drowning in lesson planning and fretting about the week ahead ;(

Spanish 3

2006-02-02T21:34:00.000Z

I just got back from Spanish~~ Took a bit of effort to make myself go, but it was good in the end. I really am having trouble with the pronunication though - whether the c's and g's are soft or not. It'll come with time I'm sure.

Thank god it's Friday tomorrow!! I have too many plans for the weekend and too much work to do. Wouldn't everything be easier if we didn't have to sleep? Then my weekend would be twice as long:-) I want to go for Indian tomorrow (I seriously can't remember the last time I ate Indian!) And I want to see that French film Hidden and I also want to go shopping and I want to see all my coursemates (I've missed them this week!) And W and K I want to come to your party too, but I don't think I can:-( Have a great time though!

Oh, this time next week I'll be watching BELLE and SEBASTIAN!!! So exciting!!!!!!! *YAY* And the day after is a training day so I won't even be all stressed about the next days' lessons!! How incredibly cool is that!?

Day One KES

2006-01-30T21:14:00.000Z

I was falling asleep trying to watch 'The Happiness of the Katakuris' but either it's a really awful film, or I'm just too tired to concentrate on anything~~ Hence this blog entry and then SLEEP. The fact that the fire alarm went off at 4am doesn't help (we had to stand outside in the freezing cold for I'd say 20 minutes - this is why university-owned accommodation really sucks) and all the information that I have to absorb at school it too too much~~ I'm starting to feel a bit panicky about teaching A-level French... I shouldn't (I'm more than qualified to teach it) but I just don't feel like I should be teaching these kids, that they deserve someone better than me to teach them! Perhaps it's just initial nerves. Let's hope they go away soon. Anyway, the day started off quite dull (just observing and supporting one class) and I felt a bit unwanted (I mean, the atmosphere amongst the staff here is just completely different to the old school). The day progressively got more useful though, and I now have ideas about what I'm going to be teaching the A-level kids. (Whch reminds me, I should pick up all my old A-level work when I go back to York next time.) I also sat in on parents' evening, which, surprisingly enough, was fairly interesting. Got to hear all about some of the kids that will be in my classes and how (generally) wonderful they are. So that's good. Doesn't look like I'll have discipline problems. Phew. Shouldn't speak too soon. Apart from that there's not much to say. I think things are too scary if you look too much at the big picture. For now I'm only going to think about tomorrow (and the weekend, of course).

a good weekend

2006-01-29T21:19:00.000Z

Here is a sample of what I got up to this weekend!! Friday was spent watching I Am Jack in Fibbers (first time for me to go there - woo!). I was impressed by them~~ Matt has a really great voice! I spent Saturday at E's 80th... Look at the fab cake (can you spot the fossils and the golf clubs??) I even managed to spend time with J in the Blue Fly Cafe (yummy yummy cake and scones!) and practise Afrcian Melody III (Einaudi yet again) on the piano. Today S took me for a drive out into Derbyshire (thanks S!) and we stopped off at a little viewing place where we could see (kind of) the seven hills of Sheffield! It's great knowing someone from Sheffield - feels like I have my own personal tour guide! Heehee. I learned more about Sheffield today than I did in the three years I lived here:-)

thinking

2006-01-24T21:26:00.000Z

I'm starting to think about going back to school on Monday~~ Feeling nervous, but also (a little bit) excited about the prospect of teaching the older ones (A-level French and Japanese...) Looking forward to getting the buzz back from standing at the front of the class (let's hope they don't eat me up first). Am thinking though that the next five months are going to be harder that the first five months. In lots of ways~~ Too many things to think about... jobs, lessons, assignments, where to live, where to work, whether to teach, and having a life too... Agh. Sorry for having a few too many blog entries like this one ;-( However, I am thinking that all this is do-able, if I want it to be. I think I have to stop thinking and just get on with it.

In the meantime I'm looking forward to the weekend, to the music and to seeing friends, and the 80th b-day party... Anyone around in York this weekend... come along to I Am Jack!

Oh, and Happy Birthday to Fran (today), WY (yesterday), Em (tomorrow), Ian (Thursday), Enid (Saturday), R (last Saturday)!! And more to come soon. There're just too many birthdays this month. Crazy.

Before Sunrise

2006-01-21T18:17:00.000Z

I finally saw this film... Will write more as soon as I have some time:) Overall a good film, but I'm not too keen on either of the characters. Didn't it seem a bit pretentious in parts? Anyhow, I'll have a think about this one and decide what I really think.

Ask, The Smiths

2006-01-16T22:32:00.000Z

Shyness is nice and
Shyness can stop you
From doing all the things in life
You'd like to

So, if there's something you'd like to try
If there's something you'd like to try
Ask me I won't say no, how could I?

Coyness is nice, and
Coyness can stop you
From saying all the things in
Life you'd like to

So, if there's something you'd like to try
If there's something you'd like to try
Ask me I won't say no, how could I?

Spending warm Summer days indoors
Writing frightening verse
To a buck-toothed girl in Luxembourg

Ask me, ask me, ask me
Ask me, ask me, ask me

Because if it's not Love
Then it's the bomb, the bomb, the bomb,
the bomb, the bomb, the bomb, the bomb
That will bring us together

Nature is a language - can't you read ?
Nature is a language - can't you read ?

So, ask me, ask me, ask me,
Ask me, ask me, ask me

Because if it's not Love
Then it's the bomb, the bomb, the bomb,
the bomb, the bomb, the bomb, the bomb
That will bring us together

If it's not Love
Then it's the bomb
Then it's the bomb
That will bring us together

So, ask me...

Kikujiro

2006-01-15T00:25:00.000Z

I'm going to buy this movie and force anyone to watch it who hasn't already.

My most favourite Japanese film to date!

How is it possible to have seen so many quality films in so short a time?

And where am I going to find this piano music by Joe Hisaishi?

Special Gunpowder

2006-01-14T22:04:00.000Z

Further to WY being offered gunpowder tea, we thought it would be a good idea to taste it for ourselves and find out exactly what the stuff is. (No, we didn't go to the Chinese supermarket especially for this purpose, we just happened to see it when buying yakisoba sauce and rice...). Well, turns out that it is in fact just green tea, although slightly fishy-smelling green tea may I add. No gunpowder involved (although no instructions on the packet, so...) and no connection to Guy Fawkes (as far as we can tell).

In addition to the excitingness of trying out the gunpowder tea, we also managed to fit in a trip to The Showroom to see Whale Rider, have a posh cup of coffee in the hotel overlooking the Winter Gardens (and be served by a very confused waiter who gave us free shortbread) and eat a pasty in The Blue Moon Cafe just near the cathedral (highly recommended). I ate yakisoba for the first time in... erm... a year and a half (and missed you Fre in the process!), although WY I think you are a good yakisoba-making assistant. But I'm already hungry again (surprise surprise).

Spanish 1

2006-01-12T21:28:00.000Z

I quite randomly and unexpectedly went to beginner's Spanish at King Edward's tonight... I had met the guy, W, just today during my first induction day at the school (this is where I'm gonna be teaching too from the end of the month~~) and then I turned up to his adult Spanish evening class. (Wonder what he thought of me.) Anyhow, he didn't seem to mind that I join in even though I'd missed the whole of the first term. It was so cool!! I learned how to use some verbs like 'desayunar' and 'comer' and then say stuff like 'desayuno a las seis... desayuno cereales y cafe...' and I can (kind of) tell the time too. Kind of (because I haven't really learned the numbers yet). So, yes, I did something quite random and it seemed to work out ok!

But the main event of today was SE1 at King Edward's... Yes, yes, I know it is one of the top schools in Sheffield and that I should count myself lucky to be there and not in the middle of the Peak District having to take a million buses to get there to maybe a school that barely recognises languages... but for some reason I love my old school so much more than this one! Everything's different~~ loads of ICT in the classrooms (I'm gonna miss my reliable OHTs) and keys for everywhere and limits on photocopying! The staff are lovely (as teachers in general are) but somehow I just want to go back to Aldercar and back to the cupboard they called the office and the rubbishy classrooms. Why is change so hard?!

Anyway, on the brighter side of things, S made いなりずし, which I can't wait to try tomorrow for lunch~~.

The Bright Space

2006-01-11T22:27:00.000Z

Here you can listen to Demi's Ben's friend's band: The Bright Space. They've been voted as New Favourite Band by Steve Lamacq! Listen to it now!!

second day, new term

2006-01-10T22:13:00.000Z

Been back two days now. Two days into the new term. Back in uni of course since the second placement doesn't start until the end of the month~~ Already feeling nervous about that but trying not to think too much right now. Gonna miss T this time round, since I have to work with S now (who scares me slightly since he used to be in the army. Thank god we don't have to team-teach: I think our styles would be somewhat different). It's just going take up so much energy~ I don't know if there's any energy left inside of me :p

I joined Lovefilm.com this week (thanks to Mary's free voucher) and have ordered some Japanese stuff (not that there was a huge choice), including Kikujiro (wonder if it's any good). Also Before Sunrise and Before Sunset (high time I saw those) and Kal Ho Naa Ho (the movie Fre and I saw in Mumbai). Classic Bollywood!!

I found out we have two days off towards the end of January. I fancy taking a trip somewhere (anywhere). Are there any good exhibitions in London? Or perhaps we can come and see you, Rich.

Started to research bullying (will be my research for my time at King Edward VII School) and it's a complex area I'm beginning to realise. Still, there'll be plenty to write about. A teacher is no longer just a teacher, but a counsellor, social worker, friend, judge... Grr. It's not easy.

see this film!

2006-01-09T18:47:00.000Z

Maybe it's too shocking for some, but I seriously recommend this film (not that it needs recommending since all the reviews are brilliant). Not quite sure how they got a long film out of a short story though~~ It made me cry (I've been crying too much lately at films and books).

The Producers: disappointing

2006-01-05T15:36:00.000Z

I saw this film last night~~ Not too sure about it though. Very good in parts, but too long... I reckon it would be great to see on the stage. What I was impressed with though was that the whole thing was filmed outside the Shubert Theatre (isn't that where we saw Monty Python's Spamalot?). But why has there been a complete lack of anything good at the cinema recently? I guess Brokeback Mountain is coming soon, as is A Cock and Bull Story ("The best film ever, ever, ever...", according to The Guardian).

Back to Sheffield soon then... Ready for the next phase. (Am I?) As WY said, wouldn't life be great if it just consisted of being on holiday, reading, watching movies, blogging, music and doing only things that are fun...

I added a funny photo of J and I at Wakefield Sculpture Park. It's good to have a computer again, even if it isn't my NYC Soho Apple Store bought one:(

Martha Wainwright

2006-01-02T15:41:00.000Z

I bought a copy of Martha Wainwright's new album today... just to see if she is as good as her genes promise... (Indeed she is.) Although Rufus appears on one of the tracks (Bring Back My Heart: "I know I said/For you to take it/But you don't use it/And I got none in return"), she sings in her own unique style... tracks filled with raw energy alongside the ballads that are beautiful and haunting. Far Away is by far the most beautiful song...

Not the happiest of albums, but colourful and rich nevertheless. You will not be disappointed.

You can hear Far Away from Martha's website: http://www.marthawainwright.com/news.html

Mogwai

2005-12-29T19:58:00.000Z

Since my little Mac is poorly, I have to resort to this PC~~. It doesn't remember who I am when I go to the blogger website, or when I go to Flickr. It does let me change colour, though. Anyhow, fingers crossed she will get better soon:-) I think she will.

I am listening to Mogwai. I really do like them. I like track 7 (I do not know the title of the track since R didn't write them down for me) of this album, Happy Songs for Happy People.

I also finally got a copy of On Beauty, which I can't put down. It's been a while since I sat down and really got into a good book.

Scarborough

2005-12-27T21:12:00.000Z

Today we went to Scarborough. We ate chips and played bingo... We took a walk along Marine Drive and around the castle. It was so cold we thought our noses were going to drop off.

See my photo album for more exciting snaps.

A Happy Christmas

2005-12-25T18:06:00.000Z

Since being back in York I've been having lots of fun...

I've put some photos onto flickr for people to look at... Just click on the photo link.

Thanks for the party, Andy... The carols were fun too, despite all the religious stuff. And thanks for joining us for Christmas Wanyu! Think my mum wants to adopt you!

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas.

last day (for now)

2005-12-20T16:00:00.000Z

Just got back from my last day of "school experience" 1 at Aldercar... I can hardly believe that Christmas is here already. My feelings are a weird mix of relief and sadness (to leave some great kids behind and wonderful staff). And also huge surprise that I made it this far and am still alive and relatively happy! I pretty much had tears in my eyes when the kids were on the stage today signing to Slade's Merry Christmas Everyone (OK, not the most moving of songs, but to see kids signing for the deaf kids really... ugh... brought tears to my eyes!)

(That says SIGNING not SINGING for those who can't read properly.)

Yay, the holidays have begun!!

mornings eleven

2005-12-17T19:35:00.001Z

Today I discovered THE MAGIC NUMBERS. They are amazing!!!!! I have been listening to Morning's Eleven nonstop. Hmm, gonna have to see if they are coming to play in Sheffield any time soon. (Also wanted to go and get tix for the Arctic Monkeys, but sold out, surprise, surprise...). Fre, I know you would like this song a lot. Just want to jump around to this song:

You're in denial
You're in denial, and I know
Well, what's my name?
Well, what's my name? I don't know

Maybe you could telephone
Maybe I could meet you in the morning
Call me if you're on your own
And maybe I could meet you in the morning

You're in denial
You're in denial, and I know
Well, what's my name?
Well, what's my name? I don't know

Maybe you could telephone
Maybe I could meet you in the morning
Call me if you're on your own
And maybe I could meet you in the morning

Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba...

Mornings eleven
The feelings are severed
I can't feel anything at all
But I would die for you
Oh I would die for you

All that I'd ever seen
All that I'd ever been
All that I'd ever wanted
And I would die for you
Oh I would die for you

I had it all
But I never thought I did
No no no no, I never thought I did
Oh oh oh oh

I had it all
But I never thought I did
No no no no, I never thought I did
Oh oh oh oh

Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba...

You're in denial
You're in denial, and I know
Well, what's my name?
Well, what's my name? I don't know

Maybe you could telephone
Maybe I could meet you in the morning
Call me if you're on your own
And maybe I could meet you in the morning

Die for you...
Die for you...
Oh oh oh oh

I had it all
But I never thought I did
No no no no, I never thought I did
Oh oh oh oh

I had it all
But I never thought I did
No no no no, I never thought I did
Oh oh oh oh

Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba...

bagels and cream cheese

2005-12-15T20:47:00.000Z

Well, the end of another school week for me. Two days left... Monday and Tuesday... then holidays. I just finished my millionth assignment, to be handed in tomorrow. No planning to do this weekend, just santa origami to learn for the 'fun' lessons next week. Almost a weekend of complete freedom!!

Am going to take my camera tomorrow along my course's xmas meal... Hopefully I will be uploading some of them so that you can see the lovely people going through the same hell as me ;-)

I made the decision today to apply for the job at my school. More out of curiosity than serious belief that I will get it.

Right, I am so hungry that I am going to go and toast a bagel and heap it with cream cheese. Then sleep (even though it's only 9).

PS Carols, anyone? Outside the Mansion House on xmas eve...

PPS Anyone know what a 'fuddle' is? We had one at school today. I think it's just a Derbyshire word...

today was a good day

2005-12-12T16:12:00.000Z

Recently things seem to be fitting into place. For some reason, since Friday, I have been in a really good mood. Maybe it's the run-up to Christmas, the end of term, the lovely people I know, my lovely friends, family, work colleagues. The apple crumble Kate made last night, or the burgers I made last night, the chance I might be in with a job at my current school... Perhaps because I am getting better at pool. Maybe the yummy meal on Friday. I don't know, but I thought I'd like to share my good feeling with you all (while it lasts!!! I hope it does!!). I do like this time of year:-)

The Constant Gardener

2005-12-10T21:53:00.000Z

I saw this tonight with E&K... I guess I was prepared for what I was to see from what I'd heard from others who'd seen it already. A truly moving film, which really opens your eyes to the realities of the situation in Africa, both past and present. What I don't understand is how a continent as stunningly beautiful as Africa can be so full of evil and corruption and at the hands of manipulating companies taking advantage of its complete vulnerability. It's been a while since I cried at a film, but I couldn't help myself when they had to leave the little kid behind who, as the pilot said, may, or may not, find her way to a refugee camp. Most likely not.

It does make you stop and think what we do (or don't do) as individuals to help those strucken by poverty and disease in countries polluted with corruption. Today I bought cards from Oxfam, but is that enough? I feel it is far to easy to forget that part of the world and its problems, worring about trivial annoyances that in reality have no importance whatsoever. Like what I will buy so-and-so for Christmas. It's far too easy to watch the film and walk out of the cinema and forget. It's far too easy to buy charity Christmas cards and think that's enough. I don't know what we (I) can do, but there must be more we can do.

Belle&Seb: important news

2005-12-07T21:38:00.000Z

Dear B&S fans

There is a new live version of If You're Feeling Sinister available from iTunes... I've listened to some of the clips and it's really, really good. Hoping someone will buy the tracks for me...

Just thought I'd add a pic of the band:

Stuart M looks weird with blond hair... No?

It's all for charity (Asia earthquake) so doubly worth getting.

ドレミ　do re mi

2005-12-05T20:15:00.001Z

I don't mean for everything recently to be Japan-related, but I had to put this in here. Helen lent me a cassette of Japanese children songs today so on the way home in the car me and T were listening to it... all of a sudden, without expecting it, Do Re Mi was playing!!! And, in Japanese, it's incredibly cute (why am I using this word so much recently...). We were literally singing all the way home, only being able to work out half the lyrics. We actually thought the ラ was ラクダ(camel)のラ！ That's what we were singing anyway. I guess everyone else on the motorway thought we looked pretty silly sitting in the car singing our heads off! But, listening to it reminded me how much I love The Sound of Music (I do!).

Here are the lyrics (for anyone who can and wants to read them):

作詞／Oscar Hammerstein II　日本語詩／ペギー葉山　作曲／Richard Rodgers　編曲／風戸慎介　歌／伊東恵里、森の木児童合唱団

ドはドーナツのド　レはレモンのレ
ミはみんなのミ　ファはファイトのファ
ソは青い空　ラはラッパのラ
シは幸せよ　さあ歌いましょう　ランランラン

ドはドーナツのド　レはレモンのレ
ミはみんなのミ　ファはファイトのファ
ソは青い空　ラはラッパのラ
シは幸せよ　さあ歌いましょう

ドレミファソラシド　ドシラソファミレド
ドミミミソソ　レファファラシシ
ドミミミソソ　レファファラシシ……
ソドラファミドレ　ソドラシドレド

どんなときにも　列を組んで
みんな楽しく　ファイト持って
空を仰いで　ランララララララー
幸せの歌　さあ歌いましょう　ドレミファソラシドソド

I totally love learning songs in other languages...

wish xmas would hurry up

2005-12-04T19:24:00.000Z

I can't wait till Christmas! In my head, term is already over... But no, two and a half weeks to go till I can be free of ridiculously early mornings for TWO whole weeks! WY, my mum knows about the potatoes and the dripping, so you don't need to worry about that. I think dripping is quite nasty really, but it does make the potatoes taste really yummy.

I had a nice weekend, although not particularly exciting. Whenever I bake, it puts me in a good mood. I should make brownies more often since they have a really good effect on me. They don't do much for my tummy and hips though. Fre, can you hurry up and send that recipe for me please~~ onegai... Dinner in East One (again), a game or two of pool (I think I'm improving - even almost slightly better than T!). And MeadowHELL (that wasn't a nice bit of the weekend). Remind me never to go there on a Saturday again. Nevermind a Saturday in December. Remind me to never go there again at all actually!

K-flatmate is making mulled wine later... to give the internationals in our flat a taste of Christmas. A tad early if you ask me, but, I'm not complaining.

Another busy week ahead, including a trip to Nottingham (city centre, not my school - going there anyway~~) to see my cousin (who I haven't seen since her 21st birthday party back in March). Will be kind of weird seeing her not in Devon or York (the only two places I think I've ever seen her). I'm sure we'll find plenty to talk about (erm, teaching... groan).

Hurry up xmas hols!!

2005-12-03T09:47:00.001Z

I went to the Shimomura Noboru homepage and found this really cute picture! Just click on something and find out what the kanji is! K, didn't you use this guy's books in school at all?

Yesterday in uni we had a guy come to talk to us from the BBC - Stephen Fawkes. I haven't laughed so much in such a long time... This man was amazing! It would've been wonderful to have had a teacher like him in school - I guess all his kids would have loved languages in his school. Hmm. It's people like him that really inspire you to give 100%.

漢字の本

2005-12-01T21:16:00.000Z

Fre told me about these kanji books for elementary school kids in Japan. They look so cute... and could be really useful for my kids at school! I haven't seen the inside of them yet, but since they're only 700 yen each I'm going to risk getting couple (well, K is... thanks K!) to see what they're like. Oh to be able to go to Kinokuniya again and buy the books I want...

PS can anyone read this guy's first name? He is しもむら somebody...

聞いている音楽。。。

2005-11-29T20:49:00.000Z

I have been listening to Leyona's Niji... especially ナツメロ. The lyrics are really nice and clear enough so I can almost sing along!