Now, when last we left me in my exciting adventure I was telling you about how I was experiencing a little writer's block. You'll be glad to know that I got my writing exercise done and turned in. You might also remember that I said a little something about the lawn and how it deserved a post of its own. Well, here it is.
Well, I've been having a lot of fun trying to keep our lawn nice and neat. It was about a week ago when this all started. I walked into the kitchen and encountered a foul smell. Now, the flat is pretty small so if one part of the flat starts smelling funny the rest will shortly follow suit. I shortly discovered that it was this yellow liquid at the bottom of the trash can. Quickly I went to work taking the trash out the the outdoor bin and cleaning up the mess on the floor that it left. As I took out the trash I noticed that the lawn was in serious need of some TLC. So, since it wasn't raining (a real treat for Aberdeen) I decided to pull out the lawn mower and give it the love it needed. That's when I realised that I had no idea where the socket was the plug in the lawn mower. What does a renter do when they don't know something about the house? Call the landlord!
Of course, our landlord isn't here but we do have a factor. So I called him and asked. He said that we just had to string it through one of the back windows. Thinking about how silly that would look but not how long the cord was, I started stringing the lawn mower cord through my bedroom window. I started mowing the lawn and realised...I didn't know which part of the back or front lawn was ours. Well, I figured I would just mow all the lawn and give a nice present to our upstairs neighbours and then ask my landlady through email. I got about halfway through the lawn when the mower stopped working. I was confused for a little, until I realised that the plug had been pulled from the wall.
So I had to leave it for a day, half mowed, before I got an extension cord. The next day I got the extension cord and started to mow the bit that was still all long and unseemly. Unfortunately the extension cord was about two feet too short! So, there is two feet of lawn still uncut. I don't want to spend anymore money on a really long extension cord, but I'm feeling I might have to. It's starting to look a little weird.
On a side note; the call to my factor also reminded me to tell him about my wardrobe that had collapsed my first day back here. He says he can fix it, but he hasn't been back here to fix it yet. I hope it'll be fixed soon.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Writing Exercises and Procrastination
Well, today my first writing exercise of the year is due. Like last year this is just a short critical analysis that won't count toward my final grade. It is marked, but it's really so that your tutor can see where your writing skill level are and how best to help you get a better mark on the first essay (which is due in four weeks). What I don't think the course lecturers, tutors, and course coordinator realise is that if they make something worth absolutely nothing for your final grade then the chances are most students won't give a care to actually do their best. I am a guilty party in this as are most of my friends. I wrote my short critical analysis on the excerpt from Ben Jonson's "Volpone." I don't know if any of you have read or seen "Volpone" but it is one of the most boring comedies I have ever read...ok, I didn't read the last two acts, but my point remains. Why, then, did I write my analysis on "Volpone"?
The answer is very simple. I don't care about "Volpone" and seeing as this doesn't count towards my final grade I didn't want to waste one of the Shakespeare plays on it. Also, it was only suppose to be 550 words (no longer). Now, 550 words may seem like a lot, but its really not. If you think that your introduction and conclusion are suppose to be about 10% of your essay each then you realise that with 550 words each the introduction and the conclusion are really only suppose to be 55 words in length. Not enough to write a coherent introduction. Luckily, the instructions said to not write an intro or a conclusion and just get into the analysis. Still, 550 words with as vague a question you can get is hard because fancy sentences go out the window and you're forced to get straight to the point. But at the same time it's easy because you don't have to worry about being the most eloquent possible, you just have to state the facts.
Having said all this, this assignment was, for some reason, very hard for me to complete. It's not that I didn't understand what was going on in "Volpone" or that I was being lazy and just not doing it. I sat down Wednesday morning and only got 150 horrible words out by Wednesday evening. This is something that should only take me three hours (tops) to write. I think I spent an hour starring at the computer screen without writing a single word at a point.
After realising that no matter what I wrote it was still going to come out as a horrible paper, I started procrastinating. Yesterday we I got home from lectures I decided to mow the lawn (which is a funny story all by itself and deserves its own post) instead of finishing up my analysis. I even decided to do Spanish homework (which also deserves its own post) instead of writing. I put a mental block on the darn thing and it took all my focus and attention and Buffy the Vampire breaks during girls night last night to finish. But it is finished and I hope that it's alright.
All I can say is that I'm glad that Sims3 Pets didn't come out until today or I never would have finished it.
The answer is very simple. I don't care about "Volpone" and seeing as this doesn't count towards my final grade I didn't want to waste one of the Shakespeare plays on it. Also, it was only suppose to be 550 words (no longer). Now, 550 words may seem like a lot, but its really not. If you think that your introduction and conclusion are suppose to be about 10% of your essay each then you realise that with 550 words each the introduction and the conclusion are really only suppose to be 55 words in length. Not enough to write a coherent introduction. Luckily, the instructions said to not write an intro or a conclusion and just get into the analysis. Still, 550 words with as vague a question you can get is hard because fancy sentences go out the window and you're forced to get straight to the point. But at the same time it's easy because you don't have to worry about being the most eloquent possible, you just have to state the facts.
Having said all this, this assignment was, for some reason, very hard for me to complete. It's not that I didn't understand what was going on in "Volpone" or that I was being lazy and just not doing it. I sat down Wednesday morning and only got 150 horrible words out by Wednesday evening. This is something that should only take me three hours (tops) to write. I think I spent an hour starring at the computer screen without writing a single word at a point.
After realising that no matter what I wrote it was still going to come out as a horrible paper, I started procrastinating. Yesterday we I got home from lectures I decided to mow the lawn (which is a funny story all by itself and deserves its own post) instead of finishing up my analysis. I even decided to do Spanish homework (which also deserves its own post) instead of writing. I put a mental block on the darn thing and it took all my focus and attention and Buffy the Vampire breaks during girls night last night to finish. But it is finished and I hope that it's alright.
All I can say is that I'm glad that Sims3 Pets didn't come out until today or I never would have finished it.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
A Visitor
Our flat doesn't allow pets which does make me sad a little. But, I know that getting a pet right now when I'm out of the house a lot wouldn't be good for me or the pet...unless it was a fish.
Even though our flat doesn't allow pets some of the flats around us do have pets. Next door there are two dogs that greet me whenever I walk into the backyard. They're quite friendly. I was told by my flatmate that there was a one-eyed cat wandering around our neighbourhood. I hadn't met him until a few days ago, but when I did meet him I fell in love with him. I call him "One-Eye Jack".
The other day I was hanging laundry outside and "One-Eye Jack" came over to me and started playing with me and rubbing up against me and being a real cat. So what did I do? Of course I sat and played with him for about an hour. I was a happy Erin.
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| One-Eye Jack standing in our doorway yawning. |
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| One-Eye Jack begging to come in. |
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Ultimate Geek-out
Well, today I proudly go from slight geek to full geek. Why, what am I going to do today? I am doing a 10 hour Vampire of the Masquerade roleplaying session. I feel like that one scene from "Sydney White".
My Name is Erin
I think taking a whole day to roleplay is fun.
I'm a geek!
Pictures to come...
My Name is Erin
I think taking a whole day to roleplay is fun.
I'm a geek!
Pictures to come...
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
This Semester's Classes
It's been a while since I last posted, but I assure you that's because I've been busy and not because I'm dead.
Last week was the first week of classes. It was a little bit of stress week of Erin because of my degree switch. Oh yes, I am now officially a Psychology student instead of an English student. I did have a little trouble in making that transition because I've always seen myself majoring in English. So, it was like a little piece of my childhood died. But, at least I am still able to take the English courses this year and I might be able to lecture crash next year which should be a lot of fun.
It was also a little bit stressful because the school of Psychology wanted me to add another course or two for the two first level Psychology courses they were exempting me from. So I thought that I would choose a language and since I might possibly live in California after my degree I decided on Spanish.
Now, my mother is fluent in Spanish and even taught it at university level for many years. Right now she is teaching it at a High School. I also took two university level semesters of Spanish my junior year of high school and received A's both semesters. And I briefly lived in Costa Rica when I was young which means pronunciation is easier for me than some other people. With all of this, I thought it would be a good idea for me to go into Spanish 1 because I hadn't been in a Spanish class for two years. I was wrong. Yesterday was my first Spanish lecture and I spent the majority of it trying not to bang my head on the desk in agony. Needless to say I'm going to try and get into a higher level Spanish so I don't have to hear "La is the article used for feminine words and El is the article for masculine words when saying "the" except with plural nouns. But we won't get into plural nouns just now because that might be a little difficult." There was a point yesterday when I thought, "just kill me now".
Now, I am full into the second week of classes and I'm not complaining (except when it comes to Spanish). I'm really enjoying Psychology this semester as it's all about childhood development. I've always found that an interesting subject. And this semester's English course is all about Shakespeare. So, fun times (except for Spanish).
Peace,
Erin
Last week was the first week of classes. It was a little bit of stress week of Erin because of my degree switch. Oh yes, I am now officially a Psychology student instead of an English student. I did have a little trouble in making that transition because I've always seen myself majoring in English. So, it was like a little piece of my childhood died. But, at least I am still able to take the English courses this year and I might be able to lecture crash next year which should be a lot of fun.
It was also a little bit stressful because the school of Psychology wanted me to add another course or two for the two first level Psychology courses they were exempting me from. So I thought that I would choose a language and since I might possibly live in California after my degree I decided on Spanish.
Now, my mother is fluent in Spanish and even taught it at university level for many years. Right now she is teaching it at a High School. I also took two university level semesters of Spanish my junior year of high school and received A's both semesters. And I briefly lived in Costa Rica when I was young which means pronunciation is easier for me than some other people. With all of this, I thought it would be a good idea for me to go into Spanish 1 because I hadn't been in a Spanish class for two years. I was wrong. Yesterday was my first Spanish lecture and I spent the majority of it trying not to bang my head on the desk in agony. Needless to say I'm going to try and get into a higher level Spanish so I don't have to hear "La is the article used for feminine words and El is the article for masculine words when saying "the" except with plural nouns. But we won't get into plural nouns just now because that might be a little difficult." There was a point yesterday when I thought, "just kill me now".
Now, I am full into the second week of classes and I'm not complaining (except when it comes to Spanish). I'm really enjoying Psychology this semester as it's all about childhood development. I've always found that an interesting subject. And this semester's English course is all about Shakespeare. So, fun times (except for Spanish).
Peace,
Erin
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Fresher's Week
This past week I have been a very busy bunny. Fresher's week has been quite busy this year...probably because last year I was the scared, little sheet wondering around the "fayres" not knowing what to do or where to go and being mauled by people handing fliers and information cards and what not. This year I was the person mauling scared, little sheep with fliers and information cards.
My week started Sunday when the rolplaying association committee got together and realised that we hadn't done anything for Fresher's Society Fayre except make vague plans. So, we got the rest of the day off after the meeting (because we had already set up some board game and movie time!) then promised that we would get some work done! Which we did. Marlene and I headed down to the hobby store to buy black crape paper and silver spray paint on Monday. Tuesday was a pretty busy day. First I helped Jamie on some poster ideas then went to campus to print out big letters and work more on poster ideas and then Marlene came over and we all made a big sign out of the black paper and silver spray paint. Not only did we make the sign that said "AURA ROLEPLAYING" we also made two silver shields with the dragon we've come to think of as our crest. Then we all stayed up late into the night printing fliers and posters. Wednesday was the fayre and started out with me having to go print more fliers early in the morning due to a misspelling. Then we all worked the fayre from 9am-3pm. Mostly I was either walking around handing out fliers and directing people to our booth or running back and forth from the print room. I did take a small break due to a stomach ache and dizziness (I think I didn't eat enough). That night was the society pub quiz for new people. Thursday was a little more of a break, but Marlene, Lisa, Amy and I all went to buy food for the give it a go sessions and I made cookies, entered emails into the list and sent out some reminder emails to people who were not lucky enough to happen by the booth when we still had fliers. Friday I ran down to campus early to print reminder posters and put them up all around campus. I had an hour's break before give it a go and board gaming which lasted from 2pm-10pm. This morning I volunteered with Guide Dogs taking donation in the city center and then did board gaming with new people from 5:30-8:30 (it went until 10 but I was too tired).
Did I mention that between all of this I had a Tier 4 Visa Check and my advisor meeting (which deserves its own post due to all the hassle)? And that I have been living on one meal a day and crisps and biscuits in the afternoon for the past week? And that the electricity here shorted out my facial brush? And that I found out I have a lecture right at the time of puppy class and will have to figure out how to get things settled with the person in charge? There are a few words that describe me right now; broken, dead, stressed, sleepy, annoyed, etc. You take your pick and that's probably me. But I think one word sums all of it up.
Good Night! My week isn't over until Tuesday when I can stop stressing but until then...*bites nails* see you later.
My week started Sunday when the rolplaying association committee got together and realised that we hadn't done anything for Fresher's Society Fayre except make vague plans. So, we got the rest of the day off after the meeting (because we had already set up some board game and movie time!) then promised that we would get some work done! Which we did. Marlene and I headed down to the hobby store to buy black crape paper and silver spray paint on Monday. Tuesday was a pretty busy day. First I helped Jamie on some poster ideas then went to campus to print out big letters and work more on poster ideas and then Marlene came over and we all made a big sign out of the black paper and silver spray paint. Not only did we make the sign that said "AURA ROLEPLAYING" we also made two silver shields with the dragon we've come to think of as our crest. Then we all stayed up late into the night printing fliers and posters. Wednesday was the fayre and started out with me having to go print more fliers early in the morning due to a misspelling. Then we all worked the fayre from 9am-3pm. Mostly I was either walking around handing out fliers and directing people to our booth or running back and forth from the print room. I did take a small break due to a stomach ache and dizziness (I think I didn't eat enough). That night was the society pub quiz for new people. Thursday was a little more of a break, but Marlene, Lisa, Amy and I all went to buy food for the give it a go sessions and I made cookies, entered emails into the list and sent out some reminder emails to people who were not lucky enough to happen by the booth when we still had fliers. Friday I ran down to campus early to print reminder posters and put them up all around campus. I had an hour's break before give it a go and board gaming which lasted from 2pm-10pm. This morning I volunteered with Guide Dogs taking donation in the city center and then did board gaming with new people from 5:30-8:30 (it went until 10 but I was too tired).
Did I mention that between all of this I had a Tier 4 Visa Check and my advisor meeting (which deserves its own post due to all the hassle)? And that I have been living on one meal a day and crisps and biscuits in the afternoon for the past week? And that the electricity here shorted out my facial brush? And that I found out I have a lecture right at the time of puppy class and will have to figure out how to get things settled with the person in charge? There are a few words that describe me right now; broken, dead, stressed, sleepy, annoyed, etc. You take your pick and that's probably me. But I think one word sums all of it up.
EXHAUSTED!
Good Night! My week isn't over until Tuesday when I can stop stressing but until then...*bites nails* see you later.
Friday, September 16, 2011
A Week Back
I've been back a week now and it's been...well, it's been interesting to say the least. I won't say that it's been my favourite week in the world. Aberdeen gave me a different welcome home than I was expecting, but at least I'm back home.
Last night I was watching "Frasier" in my new living room and one of the characters said something that really made sense seeing what's happened this past week. The quote was, "people suck." Now, I've always tried to believe that there is a little good in everyone, but I'm not so sure anymore. Maybe some people are just bad. Maybe they weren't born bad I don't really know, but something happened in their life that took the good out. *sigh* I won't go into details about what happened, but it wasn't a fun night and it hasn't led to fun days. Fun jokes maybe, but not so much fun times. Ah, well. The time has passed and everyone and everything is getting better. Including me.
I was helped along with this by a large box I received a few days ago. I wasn't expecting anything (besides my pictures and DVD of Rocco's graduation from GDB) so I was really surprised when a very large box arrived. I opened it a wouldn't you know it!? someone sent me flowers. Alright, before you start getting ideas in your head it was my father. So not as exciting as all that, but still, it's a really pretty house plant and definitely something that our flat needed. Now what it needs is pictures on the wall and possibly another sofa since we are taking turns of lounging on it at the moment.
Well, that's all for now. I'll let you know if anymore people start going bad.
Last night I was watching "Frasier" in my new living room and one of the characters said something that really made sense seeing what's happened this past week. The quote was, "people suck." Now, I've always tried to believe that there is a little good in everyone, but I'm not so sure anymore. Maybe some people are just bad. Maybe they weren't born bad I don't really know, but something happened in their life that took the good out. *sigh* I won't go into details about what happened, but it wasn't a fun night and it hasn't led to fun days. Fun jokes maybe, but not so much fun times. Ah, well. The time has passed and everyone and everything is getting better. Including me.
I was helped along with this by a large box I received a few days ago. I wasn't expecting anything (besides my pictures and DVD of Rocco's graduation from GDB) so I was really surprised when a very large box arrived. I opened it a wouldn't you know it!? someone sent me flowers. Alright, before you start getting ideas in your head it was my father. So not as exciting as all that, but still, it's a really pretty house plant and definitely something that our flat needed. Now what it needs is pictures on the wall and possibly another sofa since we are taking turns of lounging on it at the moment.
Well, that's all for now. I'll let you know if anymore people start going bad.
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