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Sunday, December 31st, 2006
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12:01 am - Movie quoteness
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I used my more common username, 'cos it's shorter (and therefore funnier)...
Or,
My personal favourite...
A final one to end on a high note (get it?)
current mood:  amused
current music: theJazz on my new DAB radio
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| Monday, December 25th, 2006
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9:32 pm - Happy Christmas
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In case you're wondering why you didn't get a card...
I decided this year that I would put the money into the cold weather shelter in Camden. MCC North London (based at Trinity URC), along with six other churches in the area, opens up one night a week to homeless people in the area.
Instead of sending Christmas cards this year, the money I've saved has paid for someone to spend six nights with us - that's half of the total time they'll be spending at MCC / Trinity, so thank you.
I was thinking of all of you; and I hope you don't mind. It doesn't mean I love you any less!
Happy Christmas - stay safe, stay well.
current mood:  Christmassy
current music: Rent (on DVD)
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| Wednesday, December 13th, 2006
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12:24 am - An evening with the Blairs
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I had a very surreal night but I'll keep the summary brief!
Started, as all good nights do, in a pub. Some of you may know, I was invited to meet the PM and Mrs. Blair at a reception recognising volunteers. I was dead excited - spent ages deliberating over what to wear and when the time came only had one outfit clean (long, black skirt with a purple lace top over a camisole).
So, we met Lucja and Patrick from YouthNet in a very nice pub, then queued for ages outside the gates to Downing St, went through security (passport, bags, etc.) and then went in. No photos on the door, 'cos it was open and you can't take photos when it's open. Gave in my phone, hung up my coat next to a huge fuck-off Christmas tree and then walked up the central staircase (the one Hugh Grant dances down in Love, Actually, I'm told - with all the PMs' portraits and another huge fuck-off Christmas tree).
Then we went into a red room with lots of pictures and there was a green room with lots of pictures off to the right so there were loads of people in there. Figured the PM was there so hung around outside chatting to a lovely lady who works for a charity for Albanian immigrants and refugees and suddenly Tony Blair was behind me! It was so weird. Eventually, he shook my hand and asked what I did and then was ushered off by a civil servant (who was the spit of Sir Humphrey, weirdly).
The rest of the night was a bit uneventful. After talking to me (clearly the evening had peaked for him), the PM made a speech about how much the communities and the country owe volunteers. It was a nice speech, seemed pretty genuine even from Kate the Cynic! He told us to have a nosey and investigate all the cool stuff lying around! Apparently there's no political significance in which pictures are hanging up, they're selected by some committee somewhere. Doesn't surprise me, they probably meet in Room 404 when we all go home!
We were wandering around randomly and the girl I was with picked up a cup to look at the inscription. It read, "To William Gladstone on the occasion of his coming-of-age with love from his father and grandfather, 1906"! Cooooooool! We also found a painting by Turner, and another huge fuck-off Christmas tree (this one was decorated with pompoms and gingerbread, quite cool).
Then I randomly stood in a photo with Cherie, did some networking, and we left. Stopping, of course, to have a group photo on the steps of No. 10 (and, for good measure, No. 11 - I wanted a picture on No. 12, too, just 'cos it's unknown - there's actually only 10-12 there which is weird). Then it was back to the pub and back home.
I didn't have any wine (only orange juice, which was a bit minging actually) so I didn't disgrace myself, you'll all be pleased to hear! Photos, hopefully, to follow....
current mood:  hyper
current music: The Killers - When We Were Young
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| Monday, December 4th, 2006
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5:14 pm
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My tutorial was cancelled so I stole this from Sam to pass some time. I love the fact that archaeology is held up as a strange career aspiration. Haha.
You Are 58% Strange! Based on your score, it seems you do have a healthy dose of strangeness. You aren't THAT far out, but you are somewhat bizarre. Congratulations on being different and having some quirks. It makes you an interesting person!
How Strange Are You?
Quizzes for MySpace
current mood:  bored
current music: Other people typing
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| Monday, October 30th, 2006
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9:17 pm - BSL
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I'm in a really good mood tonight; I've had a rubbish day but for some reason I'm on quite a high!
I've got band again tomorrow night, which is exciting. We had a week off 3 weeks ago, then I missed 2 weeks ago for Seth Lakeman (woot) and last week we went to the pub because the church was locked and we couldn't get in. Not that we had the music, either, 'cos the guy who sorts the music couldn't be too far from the toilet. I thought it was rather ironic that in the email we got the next day he apologised for the "incontinence" of not being able to rehearse. How Freudian!
My housemate, Kirstin, is thinking of joining LGSW (London Gay Symphonic Wind - she's not gay though) because she's looking to start playing clarinet again. I really enjoy it - I hadn't realised quite how much I was missing when I wasn't playing. Of course, it did used to provide the structure for my entire life so it's not too surprising!
I went out to Clerkenwell on Friday (EC1, darling), for Franki's friend Sarah's birthday. It was a good laugh, though Rich was a bit wasted and they went off for a while so I turned to my age-old habit when I'm in a slightly odd situation and danced like a maniac. Managed to do Tragedy, 5,6,7,8, Saturday Night, the Macarena AND the Timewarp all in one night. That's got a better songs-with-stupid-dances count than easyGays ever did!
Speaking of rubbish music - Girls Aloud at G-A-Y! Oh, hell yes! It was really fun except that if I'm not at the front at these things I get really uncomfortable. Because I'm so short it means it's quite hard to breathe when there are loads of tall, sweaty people around. Yuck. I usually try to get to the front or the side because it's much easier to stay conscious. By the time we left, Simon was swearing he'd never go again (haha, lies!), but I was more than ready to leave. The set was good, though. I was being a little bit pervy I have to admit - I'd never realised quite how fit one of them is. I don't know her name, it might have been Nadine? Meh. Anyway.... I'm such a lech. Bad Kate.
The NUS Demo yesterday sounds to have gone well. I was gutted I couldn't actually be there to march but I tried to do my bit for UCL Union solidarity by staying as long as I could without actually being late for work! I ran into Jess, who I'd met at NUS LGBT, she's at Manchester Uni, and I also saw Sel from Kingston. I really like running into people I don't see often, it makes me feel all happy. Especially when it's unexpected. And I finally met Corinne (who I felt like I knew after a weekend with Jess in Sheffield!) and she seems awesome, too.
Church was lovely last night, too. I always get such a buzz from being there. It sounds really corny but I could really feel the presence of the Holy Spirit last night and it was a huge blessing to be there. (I get so self-conscious saying things like that - like an American televangelist.)
I joined the MCC North London formally last week, the ceremony ("rite") was lovely and I really felt welcomed into the community and totally blessed and energised by the whole thing. There's a lady at church who's had some difficulties lately and her daughter was there which really made me cheerful because we'd all been praying for her family situation lately, and I finally met another friend's partner and it was all really lovely.
There's a guy at church called Philip, who's deaf. He's a right laugh, and always comes to the pub after church so we've all picked up a little bit of BSL (British Sign Language).
Of course, what you learn in that kind of context depends entirely on what you discuss. If anyone wants to know how to say, "Philip is looking for a Christian non-smoking man with chest hair" (or, to be honest, almost anything about chest hair, as he is actually obsessed), "I don't have a TV, but I don't like the X-Factor, or Simon Cowell", "Geri fancies butch lesbians but she is girly" or "Philip wants to put Stephen on his Christmas tree" then I'm the person to ask. I can also do about half of the prayer Jesus taught, but nothing with very much day-to-day practical use!
Oooh, I just realised that this time next week, I'll be in Dublin! I'm so excited to be getting out of London. Dad's working there filming The Baker Street Irregulars at the moment, so I'll just have a pretty chilled week sitting in his flat and getting some work done. I have a challenge whilst I'm out there; Mum brought me a "whistling" (i.e. makes a noise when you shake it) Lucky Leprechaun when she went - I need to find a tackier souvenir. I've also promised Nick a postcard for reasons I can't quite remember, and I want to try and get hold of a really awful Guiness-related something for Mike.
I'd better sign off now, I'm being really chatty tonight for some reason!
Lots of love :-)
current mood: chilled
current music: Something Like Oooh - Girls Aloud
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| Wednesday, October 18th, 2006
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6:46 pm - Folk's not dead!
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Orange internet was down last night so I couldn't gush about the awesome gig I went to. Gutted.
Anyway... Vicky and I Went to see Seth Lakeman (www.sethlakeman.co.uk) at the Scala (Kings X) last night. He was awesome. I hadn't heard much of his stuff before, but I was dead impressed. The drummer kept catching my attention - he was really cute and kinda bouncy, you couldn't help but watch him. As Dad would say, "Animal lives"! I didn't think I was all that into folk, tbh, but I loved it. Folk isn't dead!
S.L. and co. were supported by an Aussie musician called Carus (www.carus.com.au), who was also awesome. His first couple of songs didn't grab me but he did some really good, catchy, upbeat stuff. I'm wondering about heading down to see him at the 12 Bar Club in Soho on the 1st November so if anyone's up for that, let me know. I got a copy of his double-CD acoustic album which I'm listening to now and really enjoying. He was hanging around signing them so Vicky insisted I get it signed, and when he said I could burn it if I wanted to, Vicky thought he meant set fire to it! Bless...
If anyone wants to hear some of the stuff I'm raving about, just tell me, I'll share the love!
current mood: chipper
current music: Carus - Hold On
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| Monday, September 11th, 2006
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2:32 pm - Hurrah
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We have a landline and will have broadband within 2 weeks... FINALLY!
Bloody Orange / BT / Thames Water (nothing to do with the above but they're being a pain, too)!
Yes, that's it. Isn't my life exciting? Does anyone want to take me out for a drink tonight? I don't fancy being on my own.
current mood:  complacent
current music: Salir Corriendo - Amaral
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| Thursday, September 7th, 2006
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12:57 pm - Life Experience
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| You've Experienced 60% of Life |
 You have a good deal of life experience, about as much as someone in their late 20s. You've seen and done enough to be quite wise, but you still have a lot of life to look forward to. |
Thanks, Sam
current mood: bored
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| Monday, September 4th, 2006
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1:13 pm - Oops
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I've been pretty ranty lately so I'll be positive today,
- I fit into my jeans again
- I haven't slipped up since starting my diet (2 weeks today)
- Church small groups and college and stuff are starting again (no more boredom)
- I've got my first wind band rehearsal in 2 years tomorrow (London Gay Symphonic Wind, I kid you not)
- Church was awesome last night and I really felt close to God and loved for the first time in absolutely ages
Yeah, today I'm a reasonably happy Kate. There's still a lot of shit going on but sometimes you've just got to be all Pollyanna about these things.
:)
current mood: calm
current music: Little People (full version) from Les Miserables
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| Wednesday, August 30th, 2006
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11:06 pm - I'm all ill
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Argh, my throat is killing me. It's not sexy. Will have to take tomorrow off work I reckon, can't make calls in this state. Grr. Need. Money.
Had a good night out with work tonight, though. That was nice. G was a bit off with me but I think she's just cottoned on to the fact that I fancy her and she's hoping I'll back off.
Fair enough, but it makes me sad. Like this :-(
I wish I was strong enough to face being rejected. Just so I can ask... and know.
Also, she told me tonight that she's just after a fling not a relationship and I know I'd either end up sacrificing my principles or getting hurt - likely both - for a fling. It's not worth it.
current mood:  frustrated
current music: For Now - Avenue Q
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| Friday, August 25th, 2006
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12:02 pm - Franki's legal
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Yesterday was lovely - spent about 11.5 hours in the Met. Bar on Baker St with (I'm bound to forget someone) ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) frankiawesome, jst, thegavman, dr_pirate, unknownfantasy, schnap_me_baby, plus Siters wyetry, teh_gerbil, theshyboyinthecorner, thunderstruck, jake0, rich_e, twisted_trinity, wheresmyplacebo... (I must have forgotten someone). And some of Franki's friends, who are lovely.
I drank (in moderation), refused the table pint (several thousand times), talked to a lot of people about a lot of things, searched in vain for the Pirate Porn Shop in Soho (I've seen it, dammit!) and just generally had a fun, chilled day off work. Hurrah!
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| Thursday, May 25th, 2006
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12:50 am - Guess who's back, back again...
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I'm going to archive my notes from West Dean, but it's taking some time and I have work tomorrow, so bear with me!
For now...
( Day 0: A few pegs short of a tent )
( Day 1: A trundle to the Trundle )
( Day 2: Non-magnetic )
Started working for Mum today, at SBS, which was fine. Her other assistant is nice enough. Went for a lovely (though indoor) picnic with the gays - could have been another day sitting in the mud waiting for the rain to stop! Also saw the Da Vinci Code with Ed, but I didn't think much of it.
current mood:  knackered
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| Wednesday, May 17th, 2006
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10:00 pm - Non-magnetic
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I felt very smug this morning because I was the only person who managed a fully non-magnetic outfit. Took my piercings out and everything. We had to be, because we were using a magnetometer (strictly, a fluxgate gradiometer) to conduct a survey and that doesn't work unless the wearer has no metal on them.
We were trying to find a DMV, but it's possible that the big f***-off earthwork in the middle of the field is actually a modern magnetic feature because something was wiping out all our results. Ho-hum. And we couldn't do a resistivity survey because the res meter hasn't been used since it got back from Romania and we didn't have time to fix it together. Got to use an EDM (or Total Station) to lay out a grid which was quite fun but it has to be precise to within a centimetre which means that whilst one person is at the EDM the other wanders off with a prism to find the point for the next grid peg and it's all "move back 2 centimetres and left 10", etc., and if you wobble the prism (which is on a big stick) it goes all funny.... Not easy.
So that was the afternoon. The morning, we surveyed our RPS, which was good fun. We were just offsetting from a baseline, probably not going to be 100% accurate, things like the top and bottom of a bump are so subjective, but not a bad way to spend a morning. We were in an enclosure up at the top of the field, with the gate closed, but somehow just as we were finishing about 50 sheep appeared from nowhere it was very bizarre!
Speaking of sheep, I've decided I wouldn't want to be a ewe. When a lamb wants feeding it runs over to its mother and buts her udders until she stops and lets it feed. Ouch.
I got a text message from Jane, one of the former youth workers from St. James, GX. I had applied to go on a summer camp (Taunton 1) as a leader. Because I go to a large church I don't know the leaders and couldn't get accurate references (although I'm sure Helen or Colin on my ASLAN team would have provided them) so she called and started asking me all these questions about whether I still have eating problems, whether I still self-harm, etc. I was really honest, and said it's not a huge problem any more but I couldn't 100% guarantee that I wouldn't do anything when I was there. Predictably, they won't let me go. I'm really upset and although I know their reasons I feel like I'm being discriminated against - again - for the fact that I have problems. I think the gay thing has something to do with it although Jane never alluded to it. Jane, her husband Nick and Helen P. (who's running the show) all know.
I've been trying to call Simon but he's not answering. There's no one here I can talk to about this and I don't feel like people really like me anyway. They've all gone to the pub again. I was going to go now but it's just started pissing it down so I'm feeling like my tent will be warmer. Even if my sleeping bag is broken!
current mood:  rejected
current music: Dear God Please Help Me - Morrissey
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| Tuesday, May 16th, 2006
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9:45 pm - A trundle to the Trundle
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Ah, Sussex in the rain. Delightful. Started out as a lovely day, and we sat around in the car park by the lower Scout hut looking at old maps whilst we waited for Dave from English Heritage to arrive. We started climbing hills in the grounds of West Dean College (part of a 60,000 acre estate, I kid you not!) - that fair killed me, I still hyperventilate and I forgot my inhaler. Duh. We were looking at "humps and bumps in the landscape" - lynchets, field systems and the like.
There are loads of sheep in the fields, they're crazy animals. They just stare at you accusingly. I'm there thinking, "I don't eat meat, don't look at me like that"! Lambs are lovely. They really do skip.
So anyway, we think we've found a Recessed Platform Settlement (RPS), a type of Bronze Age settlement, on one of these hills. The earthworks have a characteristic "apron" shape - a scarp at the front and back, kinda semicircular overall. The molehills had a load of fire-cracked flint (FCF) and one small sherd of Bronze Age pottery up there, which is exciting. We might try to get some geophys done up there, but I think when we get the fluxgate gradiometer (or magnetometer) out tomorrow, we'll be looking at the possible Deserted Medieval Village (DMV) down by the stream on the front lawn. There's an interesting earthwork there that might be the course of the river before it was diverted (probably in C19) to frame the house.
So after that we wandered up to the Trundle - which is an Iron Age hillfort created on the site of a causewayed enclosure - a settlement based around a series of depressions and ditches with certain entrances "causeways". There's only about 100 in Britain, they're really rare. So that was exciting, though I was knackered when we got up to the top finally! And I lost my new sunglasses in the long grass, they fell out of my pocket when I took them off. Growl.
We got the minibus back to the campsite (meaning we didn't go downhill once on Dave's walk!) and this afternoon it just rained hard and was gross so Dave showed us a bit of GPS survey, we surveyed in a fence then went and did our fieldwork notebooks. I'm feeling a bit lazy about mine, 'cos I didn't write much last year and got an A. I did have a few interesting points to make so it's quite long and rambly. Probably reads a bit like this does, to be honest! Haven't gone to the pub, 'cos I'm exhausted, though it was nice last night. I'm the only one sitting here, other than Kit (a mature student in my year, she's cooking for us) but she's watching a DVD. I think I'm going to go to bed before she turns the lights off at 10.
current mood: exhausted
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| Monday, May 15th, 2006
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9:00 pm - A few pegs short of a tent
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Dearie me, day 1 in West Dean and I am stressèd! Pitched my tent (successfully) in the rain - with not a little help from the lovely Bill Sillar. Though I haven't gotten over walking in on him in a portaloo at PrimTech*, also camping, also Sussex... Pitched on a huge slope half way up a hill. Not too impressed, but the alternative was a big patch of nettles. Yum.
Saw Clive briefly - he was Site Supervisor at Barcombe last year, too, so I know him. He didn't think much of my skill, though, wonder what he'll make of me this year!
Had a really odd time getting here. Had to be tearing around College trying to sort some Aspire stuff (tickets, budget, DJ, left a lot unresolved) and had to email many people to say I wouldn't be around until the 23rd. That feels so long away right now! Anyway, I don't know any of the first-years I'm with, and I saw no one familiar at the station (no huge gang of rucksacked people), nor on the train but thankfully was on the right train! Met them all on the platform at Chichester, before we waited half an hour on the wrong side of the bridge for the Institute-Mobile to take us to the campside.
In case anyone's wondering (because you should eventually be reading this on my LJ), I'm writing in the back of the notebook I'm meant to be writing the panto in. I'm about to go to the pub. Won't update afterwards 'cos I have no torch, it died when I turned it on just now. Sigh. The room I'm in is a glorified shed with a kitchen (no electricity, gas lights and stuff), where we eat and if the weather doesn't improve I think I might be sleeping here when my tent blows away!
Right. 'Til tomorrow...
--
*Short for "Primitive Technology" - the first year experimental archaeology course at the end of Freshers' Week.
current mood:  tired
current music: There's no stereo
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| Thursday, May 11th, 2006
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9:13 pm - This is going to sound very selfish
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I'm sick of being "the single one". Last night, I would have gone to see Slither, not Prime, but Ed wanted to go 3.5 hours earlier so he could spend more time with Mike because he'd not remembered me and had arranged to see Mike.
I never see Katie without Amy. I talk to her sometimes - though if she phones or texts me when Amy is around, she (Amy) gets mardy.
Almost all my good friends at uni are in couples. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change that for the world because they're happy, but certain of them make me feel like I'm an unwanted appendage. Like your tonsils. You don't get rid of them unless they get cause problems but you're not sure why they're still there.
Plus the whole Barcelona thing.
Growl. Couples.
current mood:  single
current music: How Soon Is Now? - The Smiths
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| Wednesday, May 10th, 2006
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10:15 pm - I got the job!
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I got the position as part of the Respect advisory group! I'm so happy, Lucie called me today and confirmed it all and it's soooooo exciting! Means that when I leave Sussex after 8 days of archaeology and camping I have to go straight to the first briefing but it will be well worth it. I just need to make sure I get a shower before we leave. Cannot go in smelling of archaeology, oh, no! Only 4 days 'til MORRISSEY! Woot!
current mood: bouncy
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| Tuesday, May 9th, 2006
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11:51 am - MOOOORRRRRRISSSSSEEEEEEY
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I'm seeing Morrissey on Sunday! I only just remembered!
Haha, it's going to be awesome! I'm heading down there with Mike's housemate, Cassie, and possibly my friend James although he's not returning my messages about it. Hmmmm...
Anyway. Morrissey! If there were an M in London, he'd have put it there. Oh, yes.
current mood: Morrissey-induced high
current music: Morrissey - You Have Killed Me
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| Sunday, May 7th, 2006
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10:38 pm - καθαρη
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| Monday, April 24th, 2006
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9:42 am
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I have 1,000 words left to do on my essays :D Due at 5, but it'll be done. Woo hoo! Just got to run my short loans back to the library before they hit me for 50p/hour. Bastards, I tell you...
current mood:  accomplished
current music: La Belle et la Bête
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