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Well. That was the most exciting New Year's I've ever experienced. Yes, even more exciting than London last year.

I was at Natalie's house with a few other people from school. It was fairly quiet, I hadn't seen any of them for at least two years so we had plenty of catching up to do. Natalie's older sister and her boyfriend had gone out earlier to some bar in town. At 11:30 or so they came back. They think Natalie's sister's drink was spiked. She was completely out of it, and very scared and hysterical. Natalie's parents had to come back and an ambulance was called. The paramedics said that it was just alcohol, but the others weren't so sure, apparently she was very out of character. Anyway, we were all feeling a bit awkward so we left early (we stayed until midnight though, just after the paramedics left, it was a very brief celebration).
It's worrying how common it is for people to have their drinks spiked nowadays, it's really scary when you think about it. I really hope that no-one else I know will ever be a victim of it.

Hearing Natalie's sister, it reminded me of my coffee incident in the summer. As my incident was caffeine overdose rather than alcohol/spiking it probably felt quite different. But I could definately relate to how scared Natalie's sister seemed. I hope she's ok, she should be, it'll just take a bit of sleeping it off I think. And it's so lucky that her boyfriend was watching out for her, otherwise who knows what would have happened?

In much more boring news; I bought a new top today, it's a kind of victorian-style lacey blouse (I haven't bought any clothes for going out in ages) :D
I also got some hairclips because my fringe is starting to get annoying long and I won't want it getting in my eyes during the exams. New hair accessories = exam success!

I've been feeling in a very crafty making stuff mood today. This is clearly a result of me having to do coursework and having no time to refine my boredom.

I found some long plastic tube things that Linda got me for my birthday. You can tie them in elaborate knots to make stuff. So I made a necklace (because one new necklace in two days is not enough).

I couldn't do any of the fancy knots on the packet so I just plaited it instead.

God I'm so bored. And I'm so bad at writing this essay (I'm giving myself until Monday to finish it).
I'm really excited about tomorrow because I get to leave the house. I've given myself leeway to visit one shop, or maybe three :D

My ebay cameo necklace came through the post today!!

It took just over a week, from Israel, and over the christmas period too. Very impressive.
I don't know when I'm going to wear it, but it's pretty so I don't care.

So, I'm writing my essay about embryonic stem cell research. And this has never happened to me before. I'm writing my essay, but then I have to delete a whole paragraph because the basis of what I'm trying to say comes from the research of an internationally disgraced Korean scientist! What is this world coming to eh?

I've noticed that I seem to be writing in here on pretty much a daily basis while I'm at home. Whether this is a good or a bad thing I don't know.

If I were a Dead Russian Composer, I would be Sergei Rakhmaninov. I lived in the early Twentieth Century and was well known for my compositional, conducting, and piano skills, yet I am melancholy despite this talent. My famous works include my nearly-impossible piano concerti. Who would you be? Dead Russian Composer Personality Test

You knows it!

Can you tell that I'm supposed to be doing work?

I met up with Gemma and Kate today, two of my friends from secondary school. Good God, I haven't seen them for four years! They're both still at university, which is good, I don't feel like I'm suffering alone. Kate is going to be a civil engineer and Gemma is going to go into the army (and she's going out with a friend of James Blunt!). We had a bit of a chat over some noodles, it was nice.

Ohohohoho!
My new pens are so much fun! :3

Hmm...It's time for another challenge, yes.
I shall call it the writing 3 essays in two weeks challenge.
Ah, it will be brilliant.
Now...go! *runs to pubmed*

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas!

We went to see some relatives on my Dad's side of the family. Whenever I visit them it always comes as a bit of a shock just how loud they are. There's a new baby in the family, she's a month old or so now. She's cute, she is. But why is it, that whenever there is a new baby, everyone has to hold it?
'Oh,' they say, 'you haven't held the baby yet have you?' Well, no. Then you have to hold it. I just can't get my head around it? What are you supposed to say?
'Oh yes, this baby feels good, its got a good weight to it'?
'Ah, a good solid mass there' What? I really can't see the point? Am i supposed to want to hold it? Is the fact that I can see the baby not enough? I'm supposed to hold it just in case I wasn't convinced that it's real?
And I hate the way that I feel I'm being judged by my holiding of the baby. Look, I'm not good with babies, I haven't grown up with babies, and they can all tell by the way I hold the baby and I really feel inadequate and awful.
Says my cousin to me, 'but you're a girl? Aren't girls just supposed to know this stuff?'
NO!! THEY DON'T!! (or at least I don't) Now shut up and leave me be.

Man, sometimes I just feel so lacking in appropriate social skills that I wish I could go live under a rock for the rest of my life and never have to interact with anyone again.

[/rant]

So christmas was nice ^_^
I got some cool presents including; CLAMP south side, oh yes! A years membership of the National Trust (so many places I want to visit now; Waddesdon Manor, the King's Head inn and Prior Park!). Some nice pens for inking, that I can't wait to try out. And some pretty glass flowers:

I got the chance to draw today! I can't do any coursework, it's too close to Christmas!

A new page is up!

If you're lucky, you may get some photos of christmas decorations later .3.

If getting the post was like a game of bingo, then today I would be shouting:

HOUSE!

And possibly:

WOO!

I managed to recieve today, a new paying in book, but that's not interesting in the slightest. I did however get my first copy of BBC history magazine.

Very shiny. One day I'll have time to read it.

And I got my threadless T-shirt! Much quicker than I expected too.

It is rather big for me, but that is to be expected.
I will not wear it for christmas, I will not wear it for christmas, I will not wear it for christmas...

Aaand I downloaded the first Tsubasa Chronicle drama CD.
Kurogane's song makes me laugh so hard that I can hardly stand. I can't decide if it is bad or just really gay XD
Seriously, Kurogane, singing. What on Earth can he be singing about?! How he loves to kill lots of people with his ninga skillz? Or how he really misses pulling some shapes back in the discos of Japan?
It just doesn't sit right with me at all, Kurogane's about as likely to sing as Sakura is to use her latent powers as weapons of mass destruction. And if you try hard enough, you can almost imagine him dancing along as he sings XD *wipes away a tear*

The annoying thing is that I've caught a cold, but only on one side of my head. It makes no sense!!

'tis the season to spend lots of money. And spend it on myself rather than on other people! Harharharharhar!!!

I just used ebay for the first time! Yes I'm slow but not so slow as the internet is here at home! Curse you Dad for downloading so much!
I got myself a cameo necklace. It looks a bit like this one, but it has a red background instead of a black one. Woo! I've wanted a cameo necklace for ages, why didn't I ask for one for christmas? *lose*

I'm home for Christmas now. Yay! Now my parents can look after me!

Steve and I met Mike in London on Sunday. We went to see Ross Noble do stand-up. He is a very funny man. And most of it is improvised! I don't know how he does it, but I've never laughed so hard at children with no hands stirring egg nog with their bloody stumps before. Ah. I keep remembering bits and giggling to myself.

Christmas dinner last Saturday. It was fun, not least because I got presents!

I got a really cool kind of lamp. It changes colour, a bit like a mandle candle. I also got a really nice furry hot water bottle. It is the best thing for keeping me warm, and I do feel the cold during the winter, it's like having a warm cat to hold. Sadly, I'm not sure who exactly my secret santa was but I have my suspicions.

Photo time: Some of my favourites from our christmas dinner...and one of a church.

I've just had my last lecture and handed in my last piece of coursework before christmas! And it feels good! It does feel good. We're going out tonight to celebrate...should I be getting ready yet? Hmmm...

I did some super christmas shopping today, my secret santa will be recieving a present, hurrah! I also bought some presents for my family and ohmygod I spent 50 pounds in Habitat! Where does the money go?

I finally bought some christmas cards and I managed to find the best ones ever. I scanned one of them in and modified it a little; think of it as a virtual christmas greeting from me to you.

And time for some more photo practice:

I spoke to my tutor today. It turns out that my placement report is good, so that's a relief. I don't know the exact mark that I got but, well, that's the way these things go.

I have decided to take it upon myself to get better at photography. I have never been good at taking photographs. Firstly, I don't have a very steady hand, and secondly, all the photos I take are dull, bland and awful. So I'm going to practice to make myself better at it and this basically means taking a photo of anything and everything. (I love my digital camera. Taking as many photos as you like without having to get them developed = <3)

I started yesterday evening. Here are the best ones so far:

Practice makes perfect...or at least, better...hopefully :D

No more seminars until next semester! I am mighty happy about that, mighty. Last week of term this week don't you know and I can't wait until its over.

Here is the current schedule:

Friday - Hand in the last piece of coursework
- Go to the last lecture
- Buy Christmas presents
- Go out...somewhere

Saturday - Have Christmas dinner with housemates

Sunday - Go see Ross Noble do stand-up in London

Sometime next week - Go home for the holidays

Did you know that the Clover music video is really sad? Because it is. Ah, it may be my favourite manga you know.

And after a whole...3 days...of pining for one, I've fianlly managed to get myself a threadless t-shirt! Yay! Maybe not as good as the one with Space Wars on it, but I'm glad, because the Space Wars one was only for boys.
Arrrr!

My aims for this week:
- think outside the box
- be more creative
- buy more deodorant

I've written my seminar! Although it did take me three days instead of two.

All I have to do now is practice it and do some reading and buy some shortbread and then I'll be ready for our trial by fire tomorrow.

Secondly:
Is it me, or does Fay wink like Anne Robinson?

It's time for the 'write 25 minutes of a seminar in just two days' challenge!

It's now 1 day and 22 and a half hours into the challenge.

Slides - check
Handout - check
Know what I'm going to say - not a clue!!

*collapse*
Hmm...I'm thirsty...

Sometimes you remember that you own some Maximo Park on a CD and you listen to it again and it's good.

Go challenge go! *skips away*