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Percy, our kitten is a crazy little spaz monkey.  She is fascinated by all things keyboard.  You should see what she does as I sit here typing.  She keeps sitting up suddenly and watching my fingers intently.  With my laptop she used to curl up over my fingers and take a nap.  She likes the feel of the keys.  Weird kitten.

In other news, my mom called me up last night to read a letter Newcastle University had sent me. It was my transcript.  Apparently I have passed and am now the proud graduate of a British university.  Yay?  I’m really not very thrilled.  I’m relieved that I do graduate in December.  Actually, in less than a month.  I’m just not very excited about some of my grades.

My dad wants to take me to graduation.  It’s called “Congregations” over there.  Fancy shmancy. I am not entirely certain I want to be there for graduation.  I don’t even know who is going and who isn’t.  It seems like a lot of people are iffy on the whole thing, and a few more have said they won’t attend.  It’s going to cost a CRAP TON to go there.  I don’t think I really want to spend all that money for about an hour’s ceremony on a cold and blustery Wednesday. I remember last year and it was DAMN WINDY. *sigh*

I am very torn. Should I go?  Should I stay here?  Should I should I should I. . .   I need to fill in the paperwork saying they need to mail me my diploma.  I don’t want to say, “Yes I’ll be there” and then not.  I also don’t want to have to pack it up in my luggage if I do go.

Anyways, back to job applying.

That’s the other issue, if I go, I can’t get a job before Christmas.    That’s not good.  I don’t really have money to spend right now. . . I think people are going to get “New Year’s Gifts” this year. . . .

Autumn FINALLY

It feels so crisp and cool outdoors.  I LOVE IT.  Die you evil mosquitoes, DIE!!!!! *ahem*  I also like getting to curl up with Grant at night.  Part of the reason is that I’m apparently a blanket hog.  I get cold, okay!!  Seriously, I managed to get the sheet up around my neck last night, all of it.  We still had two other blankets, but I was suddenly in a very small area of the bed and Grant was diagonal and curled up next to me.  WHOOPS!!

Silly getting cold.

I can see why people have left WoW.  After trying AoC I finally see just how annoying WoW is.  Those quests and respawnings, etc.  EW!!  But with the constant booting from the wireless network via Windows I’ve had to settle for WoW on the Mac side.  It’s not bad, but I’m finding a lot less help for quests than I would like to see.

Anyways, in the real world: In THREE days, the Board of Examiners meets and they will decide if I passed my MSc or not.  I hope so.  I’ve decided not to fly back to England for graduation though.  It’s too expensive and I just can’t afford the time or the costs.  Pity, but there it is.  I’m ready to get a job and move on with the world.  I just need to get that dang resume all polished up and stuff.

Honey, I’m home!

We’re back in the USA in VA.  It’s lovely to be back.  I’ve mildly missed it here, except for the weather.  Although today is very low humidity compared to the past 2 1/2 days.  Friday was awful, Saturday felt atrocious and yesterday was painful.  It gets above 25 C and I get miserable.

Unlike Grant, I am still writing my dissertation, and I have 2 days to finish it (literally).  I need to send it off something like Wednesday evening.  AYYIIEEEE!!!

It’s crazy what we go through to write papers, and this is no exception. Time to get back to work.

No time

There’s so much going on, there’s so much to do, and I really feel like the world has just slowed and rushed everything at the same time.  I’m just too worried and freaked out to think.  I’m trying to get work done and it takes me hours upon hours longer than it should.  I should have half of this stupid dissertation written and I hardly even know where to begin.

I need to get back out to several sites for more pictures.  I think. I’m not sure how.  I can’t figure out buses.  Maybe I’ll just go tomorrow.  It’s noon and I have highlighted about 3 paragraphs in one article.  I’m not sleeping well. I don’t have a nice waking up, instead I wake up feeling overheated and claustrophobic.

But I suppose a shower is calling to me, and showers make the world a better place right?

On another note: I saw The Dark Knight, and I didn’t care for it.  Just not a solid enough MOVING plot line.  It was a lot like the new Hulk movie: had some nice parts but overall it just didn’t develop a plot.  These are comics that have been around since my parents were kids. You’d think they could develop a plot that actually DID something instead of what they did.

Maybe Batman would have been better if it had Lou Ferrigno in it.  Haha

I came out from TDK pale, shaky and a total mess.  I really wasn’t sure how I walked out.  Sunlight didn’t do much for me.  It took me 2 hours to regain some semblance of color.  To make things happier in life Grant and I bought some movies: Get Smart, Again! (1989), The Incredible Hulk Returns (with THOR!) and The Incredible Hulk Goes to Trial (or something like that).  Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno, that duo can make anyone start to feel happy again.

Awesome people. Yessiree. And a Hulk that isn’t impervious to everything.  He’s strong as hell, but he can be hurt.  I like that.  It makes more sense.

Disser…whaaaaat?

My dissertation is finally starting to show some signs of forming into a “Plan-of-Action.”  This doesn’t mean I have any data yet, but it does mean that after this week I will be entering 24-7 bat analysis and habitat assessments and just ….  AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rella and I are figuring out car hires.  I’m going to attempt to drive a car at some point this week to take care of my Risk Assessments and next week it will be time to attack the evil that is going nocturnal to do bat surveys.  I guess I should be glad there’s only 5 or so hours of darkness. . .

This will be a fun filled time. . .

Right now I’ve started putting up some pictures on Flickr. . .they’re private right now as I haven’t added in the tags and such, but they’ll be up for viewing soon.  I’ll post the link when I get them all sorted.

And yes, I WILL write those letters I said I would.  Just… need… TIME.

How to begin. . . and continue

It’s hard to figure out how to begin on my thesis when I have no idea how to start.  I believe the first step is to go grab my phone and the phone number for E3 and start asking for locations of Natterer’s Bats.  If that doesn’t work, I start asking Bevan to go bash some heads for me.  Maybe he’ll throw nesting Terns at people.  Vicious birds with pointy beaks, I’m avoiding them!!

Right now I have papers to write for that annoying field trip course to the land of vicious biting bugs and tasty foodages.  I miss Arneside food, but not Arneside/Roudsea Wood bugs.

Speaking of bugs, cicadas are out back home.  I hope everyone is having a great time with them.  I kind of miss them, kind of don’t.  I was home 4 years ago for them and seeing that many all over EVERYTHING just makes my skin crawl.  They give you an idea of what the world would be like if bugs/insects finally decided to just take over the world.  *shudder*

This week I will possibly learn how to drive on the “wrong side” of the road. . .  we’ll see how that works out.  Grant will help me keep to the left so I don’t go around a rotary the wrong way or forget which lane does what, etc.  Driving skills FTW!

In 1 week and 3 days Grant and I are heading down to Canterbury to see his mom and brother.  This should be a VERY interesting trip.  I hope I remember things about  Canterbury and Dover and the trains. . . I hope we find good food.  We’re staying at the same guest house my dad and I were at 2 years ago. FREAKY!  I’m excited though.  The weather was stunning in February of 2006, I can only hope that June of 2008 will prove just as nice.

But before that nice weekend trip: I NEED TO START MY BAT SURVEYS!!!  *whimper*

Distracted

A few days ago my grandfather underwent surgery for a subdural hematoma blood clot on his brain.  Apparently he hit his head in the garage between 2 weeks and a month ago and formed said clot.  My mom, her sister and youngest brother are there with my grandma.  I stayed up until about 4:30 a.m. waiting for news about his surgery the other night.  I haven’t heard ANYTHING else since they came back with “he came out of his anaesthesia just fine.”

Needless to say, I’m concerned.  The lack of information is understandable, everyone is flitting about between the house and the hospital and well, my mom isn’t exactly good at keeping me posted on things even when I am in the same country.  I will probably try to call her tomorrow after I get another calling card, or I change my SIM card to one with international stuff.  7p/min to call home isn’t TOO awful.  *sigh*

I want to be able to go home in September and see my grandpa alive and well telling stories and saying, “I savvy.”  He’s got some great stories and a wonderful sense of humor.  I hope my mom stays in Montana as long as she can for this, her family needs her right now.  Springfest will have to be function without her.

I’m hoping I can get a lot done today.  Homework is nothing short of evil.

And WHY is it snowing?!?!?!?!

Freakish weather. . .

Too soon

I’m not ready to leave “home” and head back to Newcastle.  This past week has felt like the last 6 months never happened.  We’re home right?  We don’t have to go back?  Too bad distance learning isn’t an option.

I miss things about Newcastle.  I miss my classmates and the crazy antics, I miss hearing Ahmed sing down the hallway to his iPod, I miss watching Grant and Victoria have a battle of words.

It’s all so weird.

I’m really very sad to leave.  At least I got to come home and see family and friends and most importantly, family I never knew before.  These people are all so close to us and it’s nice to finally be able to see them and bond with them.  Some of them even remember my dad from when they were much younger, or remember his parents with fondness.

Springtime?

The mid-atlantic is showing promises of a gross summer that I am glad to miss.  We’ve had two days in the mid-70s, with 1 day in the 50s (yesterday).  I love this weather, it’s so comforting and relaxing.  I just hate what it means the weather will turn into in another 2 months.

Homework sucks though, nothing has changed there.

Tomorrow is my cousin’s wedding.   Tonight I think I am missing contra dancing.  I am also missing hanging out with my cousins due to homework.  I’ve wasted away enough days that now it’s time to just work work work.  I don’t want to go home to Baltimore to pack up my stuff and get ready to head back to England. I want to do distance-learning where I don’t actually have to head back there.  UGH! Then again, avoiding mosquitoes for a few more months/weeks will make me happy.

Back to work I go.  Tree essay, case study, GIS practical and Conservation Biology essays. . .  Life is not fun.

Quick thanks

I would like to thank the facebook message that has led to no less than 11 visits to my blog. Specifically based on this.

I shared my opinion openly and freely, perhaps others would care to do that as well. One might almost consider it “immature” to talk about someone behind their back.

To make things plain: I have no dislike towards anyone in our MSc or modules. I merely did what I thought was right. It was an act I recall from being about 16, and to see it when we are all in our 20’s is merely laughable.