sundotshine

[sundotshine]

Today I walked 13.3miles (or 21.4km which sounds a little more impressive!) in aid for training for the London2Brighton Challenge. I have to say, it was cloudy, it was windy, and it was bitterly cold. But I rather enjoyed it! This training is really getting me outside and has made me realise how much I can miss by simply passing all day infront of my computer screen (she says...) But honestly I got to exchange pleasantries with some lovely people, said hello to some other rather naughty dogs, and generally got to enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of the countryside (not all pleasant I'll admit).

But it does feel like a huge achievement to have done that in a morning, then back for a work meeting and home again. I also arrived home to a rather exciting box - this is a box including collection tins, banners, posters, stickers, information leaflets and more to aid me in my efforts to raise £400 for the MND Assocation. The dog has now passed out, but I'm full of beans for getting more fundraising in and getting things really rolling. www.justgiving.com/BlisterSisters4

[sundotshine]

London2Brighton

This week my friends and I decided to take on a huge challenge. We are going to walk 100 kilometres from London all the way down the south of England to the coast at Brighton. That's 3x a marathon, and it's going to hurt!

But the main thing is we're doing this for charity. Last year I found out my next door neighbour had Motor Neurone Disease, and I didn't really know what that meant. MND is what Stephen Hawking has, and he is a miracle.

MND is a progressive disease which attacks the nerves in the brain and spinal cord, so that the messages gradually stop reaching muscles which leads to weakness and wasting, and there is no cure. Unfortunately for my neighbour, he died within a year of being diagnosed. So my sister and I as 2 parts of the team are raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. This is a really great cause; they do work to ensure that the quality of life for those living with the disease is as good as possible. They promote research into the disease and are looking to find a way of ending it once and for all! If this story has hit a nerve, please donate just a little to the cause, it really will help. Thank you :)

http://www.justgiving.com/BlisterSisters4

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St Valentine's Day - true story

It's Valentine's Day! (Had that passed anyone by?) It's very cute for all of the couples out there, I envy you really I do. But WHERE'S MINE? And do you really understand the origins of Valentine's Day? Really it's like celebrating Christmas but not understanding that the reason you're doing so is because of Jesus. Let me take a moment to enlighten...

St. Valentine was a priest who secretly married young couples in his church under an emporer who discouraged this because he felt young men would fight better at war without a wife.

As a result St. Valentine was sentenced to execution consisting of beating, stoning and decapitation. Lovely. Very romantic.

Damnit so that is actually pretty heroic and romantic. Firstly he was doing what he believed to be right and followed his own convictions, and secondly lots of couples got to be married and show their love to one another. Cute. Okay...so maybe the tradition is allowed, but don't you feel better for knowing the real story?!

More importantly, it's my Dad's birthday. Happy birthday Dad!

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Opportunities...

Today is a day of opportunities...I woke up to a great e-mail titled 'You've got a place at The...' I didn't want to jump the gun, so I tried to stop my heart beating so fast as I waited for it to load. But it was what I hope for...

AN OFFER FOR THE COLLEGE OF LAW!!! 

Then, I was out at the pub getting fat with my friend. And I got a phone call, from the BPP college of law. WITH AN OFFER! I cannot believe it. My life has got a focus again, I've got something to aim for and somewhere to go. And it feels soooo good! Now, the challenge is getting that work experience to pay my way through 2nd year. It's not over, it's just beginning...

[sundotshine]

Moving Forward

Things are changing in the life of the drop out!

Yesterday I had an interview for a grad scheme. I'd heard fairly horrible things about grad schemes in general...only one person of thousands get the job, and they can be really picky and choose the best because they are only university students that apply in the first place.

Turns out the interview wasn't all that bad after all. In fact, I could even describe it as 'enjoyable'?! Perhaps that's going a little far...still it really wasn't too bad. Questions included examples of me using leadership skills, what kind of leader would I be, a time that I've been a self-starter etc. etc. Fairly standard, and one thing I can be relied to talk about...is myself! No questions about the company at all. Only 12 people get through to the next round though, and he emphasised that it's only the very best that go through, so I shall expect nothing. Good news this morning though! I got accepted to study law this September in Bristol!!! YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! I am thrilled! If I got offered the job too, well...we'll see. But I'll wait for the situation to arise, I don't think it will somehow.

Things are looking up for the drop-out. Over and out.

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Please miss...can I have some more?

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Rant on same-sex marriage

As an ex-politics student, gotta say I've got a few opinions. And it's your lucky day because I'm about to enlighten you...

Same-sex marriage. Why on earth should politicians decide on whether the church should have to allow gay marriage in their churches? Should the church not decide? And gay people are involved in the church. They should all have a say.

Right so an entire debate between everybody who calls themselves Christian is obviously ridiculous. But should not the debate come between Christian homosexuals, and non-Christian homosexuals. Or more appropriately, between Christians in favour of homosexual marriage and Christians not in favour of homosexual marriage involving both parties. The fact that politicians have control of the church is surely absurd. The church ought to decide, otherwise they are not an entire entity in control of their own establishment. It's like telling a homeowner they are no longer allowed to paint their house pink. What's it got to do with you?! 

Oh who knows, we will see how this one turns out. But I think it's a dangerous thing for politcians to be taking control of, and I suspect they will end up becoming highly divided along religious lines, much more like the Democrats and Republicans in America.

I'm done.

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Interview week...

I've got an interview for a graduate scheme this week...and they're going to ask me 'competency questions'. Now I might be being really blonde here but am I instantly supposed to know what it is I'm supposed to be competent at? Err...so this could be interesting. It's a telephone interview though so hopefully I can feign competency while they can't see my face! We'll see...then if I get through that I'll have to go into London for tests, so they'll see sense then anyway :S Either way, it's all good experience right?!

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Time Flies

Over the weekend I went to Sheffield to visit my friend and we made our first excursion into a spa. The head, neck and shoulder massage was somewhat overshadowed by our extreme fits of giggles as we laughed at the fact that we were both topless in the same room. Followed by thoughts of how many people farted during massages! Haha. Thank god neither of us did either that or fall asleep during it, but it was a somewhat surreal situation. Lovely weekend though, and now it's back to the real world...waitressing here I come! 

[sundotshine]

All wrapped up in the Sheffield sunshine!

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Off the beaten track

Something I've said yes to today...an application for the Royal Mail! Rather random, but it came through the post and I thought 'why not?' I'm all about saying yes to opportunities. Rather off the beaten track of the solicitor, but I'm still going with that. It seems even work experience for law is hard to come by, so I'm hoping to rely on some good old nepotism to follow that through. I'm beginning to feel that I've applied for thousands of jobs, internships etc and I haven't even heard back...from any of them. Not even a no. But it's all about keeping a positive spirit isn't it?!

And with that, there's something I said 'no' to today, well not so much 'no' as 'nooo'. Letters to Juliet. I have to say it appealed when it came out in the cinema, I thought it looked good. My friend lent it to me warning it wasn't great. Well she wasn't wrong there. I love a bit of slush and romance, but this was just a step too far. A little too awkward, and beyond Vanessa Redgrave they didn't seem to have any belief in themselves let alone the script! Nice music in it though...if you like Italiano :)  So that's me for the day. One yes and one no, more yesses to come...

[sundotshine]

New Directions

My new direction for the day? How does solicitor sound?  Perhaps tomorrow I'll decide I want to be a bin woman, but for today...it's a solicitor. And actually I think I could be pretty damn good. I love learning, I love the idea that our constitution is made from a bunch of random rules and traditions that we've built up over the years. And I love that you get so much variety from land disputes to deciding with whom the children should be left after a divorce.

So...here goes nothing. An application form for one of the best law schools in the country, well, why not!

(The relation between the title of this post and Glee is purely coincidental but well done for picking up on it! :P)

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Days off :)

I decided to leave uni a couple of weeks ago, I also decided I might not inform my employer very quickly after...which means I get 2 days off per week. Lovely :)  Yesterday I spent the day shopping in Bicester Village with my sister. We wandered round in the freezing cold, considered the £1,000 dresses, the £200 purses (reduced from £600 need I add!) We decided none of it was high-end enough! Pah! It was nice to have a look though, dream of the day when we'll be able to afford this stuff. No matter what I end up doing, I want it to earn me some pennies that's for sure.  To add to the toilet experiences however, I would not recommend stopping off here. That's all I need to say. Today is my second day off of the week. What shall I do? Well, since I'm saying 'yes' to things...I got asked to go into work. And guess what my response was? Damn, now I've got to iron my uniform and everything...With every opportunity I take though I've just got to imagine the possibilities...maybe tonight will be the night..! 

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[sundotshine]

It's a Sunday

Well, I've been trying to think about what I could write about on here today. It's snowing outside (so cliche), I went to see a wonderful film last night (been done).  But to be honest, I was out in London the other day and I visited the toilet of a rather expensive and famous department store opposite the Royal Academy of Arts.  And my thoughts as I entered the bathroom were; this wouldn't go in my top 10 toilet experiences. 

It got me to thinking...(cue wavy patterns across my face and music) what are my top 10 toilet experiences? 

One stands out above all others...and it's got to be Goldsmith's Hall in London. I went there to view a jewellery show (these are just the circles I mingle in). Imagine a red carpet leading you down the stairs. On the left, is an area of red velvet covered chairs infront of beautifully lit mirrors to use for nose powedering, a mirror on either side which folds out for better view. The toilets themselves are generously spaced out, and by the sink (of course) both hand wash and moisturising cream of the highest quality. As you leave, there are full length mirrors to examine your full profile, which again fold out to observe each angle. Ahhh, what bliss.  To be honest, this is the only one which stands out in my memory. So, perhaps this is another task for the drop out. Compile a list of the top 10 toilet experiences. I'll get back to you on that one...

[sundotshine]

I'm a grump

So, in general, I think I'm a bit of a grump. And this just might have to be something I have to change in 2013. Not knowing what you're going to do with the rest of your life...is pretty scary. But I'm going to use this blog to show just how many times I can say 'Yes' to things. And we'll have to see what happens...

Unfortunately, today I've said yes to going into work. On my day off. I'm a waitress. Oh god. No, hang on...I'm not going to be a grump about this.

Silver linings...I will earn more pennies, I get to see the wonderful people I work with, you never know who I could meet...(?!) I'm struggling. But the much more exciting thing about today is I'm going to apply for an internship in NEW YORK. And that's just pretty bloody exciting!! It's beautiful outside and the opportunities are coming, I've just to take them.

Day of not being a grump - 1. I shall report back tomorrow

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Snow is falling...ahhh