Goodbye to my Charlie Ginger Cat who was put to sleep today after 9 years of being my pet.
I will always remember him.
I will always remember him.
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Ramblings
An occasional series
11 September 2007 @ 04:27 pm
It was a very rare event that I picked up random readers as friends onto this journal, not that I am against the idea, perhaps I am just not that interesting.
Anyway, I have decided to go friends only. It is unfortunate that the world seems to contain people who I would rather never knew anything about my life.
Anyone already on my F-list (you lucky, lucky folk) stay on there. Unless of course you are fed up of me and want to go, you know, I won't force you to stay...*sob*
Any random new people, feel free to comment here if you have been wildly entertained by my previous entries and I will more than happy to add you to my friends list.
Anyway, I have decided to go friends only. It is unfortunate that the world seems to contain people who I would rather never knew anything about my life.
Anyone already on my F-list (you lucky, lucky folk) stay on there. Unless of course you are fed up of me and want to go, you know, I won't force you to stay...*sob*
Any random new people, feel free to comment here if you have been wildly entertained by my previous entries and I will more than happy to add you to my friends list.
11 July 2007 @ 02:35 pm
The solicitors have lost a piece of our paperwork...
I am so unbelievably pissed off
Current Mood: 
angry
angry04 July 2007 @ 12:14 pm
I am really looking forward to having my own bed again. It's been nearly a year since I've been in a bed of mine own! We actually got rid of our cheap crappy mattress when we moved out of Feltham, so it will be a brand new mattress and ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
msraynsfordand myself will be the first (and quite probably) only to sleep on it! My own bed!
Since moving out of the flat I have slept in 13 different beds, that's a lot of beds!
1. Sep + Oct '06 - Luton and Dunstable hospital accommodation bed - was a bit small, but pretty comfy. And I got to stay there for 2 months, so it started to feel like home!
2. Nov '06 - Basildon University hospital hellhole bed
3. Dec '06 - Ilford accommodation bed - I made my room Christmassy
4. Jan '07 - Ocean (Roach) Heights, Gibraltar - the bed was OK, apart from the time I found blood on the 'clean' sheets that certainly wasn't mine
5. Also Jan '07 - Lovely big hotel bed at The Caleta, Gibraltar, for a blissful week
6. Also Jan '07 - Slightly folded sofa bed in The Bristol Hotel, Gibraltar, while I was crashing in my parent's hotel for a few days to avoid roaches
7. Feb '07 - Bed in a hotel in Morocco on the sea front in Tangier
8. Also Feb '07 - Another lovely hotel bed at The Eliot in Gibraltar
9. March - June '07 - UCL Halls bed in Swiss Cottage
10. A couple of times this year - the sofa bed of my friend's Kate and Alex
11. In amongst all this - Mart's sofabed at his parent's house
12. In amongst all this - 2 different bed's at my mum and dad's, cause they swapped the beds in the guest room over
13. In amongst all this -kate_the_medicand tompullman's futon - much more comfortable when you're drunk.
I think I might go and have a look for a new mattress online...
msraynsfordand myself will be the first (and quite probably) only to sleep on it! My own bed!Since moving out of the flat I have slept in 13 different beds, that's a lot of beds!
1. Sep + Oct '06 - Luton and Dunstable hospital accommodation bed - was a bit small, but pretty comfy. And I got to stay there for 2 months, so it started to feel like home!
2. Nov '06 - Basildon University hospital hellhole bed
3. Dec '06 - Ilford accommodation bed - I made my room Christmassy
4. Jan '07 - Ocean (Roach) Heights, Gibraltar - the bed was OK, apart from the time I found blood on the 'clean' sheets that certainly wasn't mine
5. Also Jan '07 - Lovely big hotel bed at The Caleta, Gibraltar, for a blissful week
6. Also Jan '07 - Slightly folded sofa bed in The Bristol Hotel, Gibraltar, while I was crashing in my parent's hotel for a few days to avoid roaches
7. Feb '07 - Bed in a hotel in Morocco on the sea front in Tangier
8. Also Feb '07 - Another lovely hotel bed at The Eliot in Gibraltar
9. March - June '07 - UCL Halls bed in Swiss Cottage
10. A couple of times this year - the sofa bed of my friend's Kate and Alex
11. In amongst all this - Mart's sofabed at his parent's house
12. In amongst all this - 2 different bed's at my mum and dad's, cause they swapped the beds in the guest room over
13. In amongst all this -
kate_the_medicand tompullman's futon - much more comfortable when you're drunk.I think I might go and have a look for a new mattress online...
Current Location: Poole
Current Mood: 
Dreaming of a new bed!
Dreaming of a new bed!Current Music: Barenaked Ladies - Straw Hat and Old Dirty Hank
02 July 2007 @ 09:15 pm
We still haven't moved. I suppose that is not a surprise, since it is Monday night. I feel like I should have moved already!
Fridaymsraynsfordand I were happily distracted from the woes of the house moving (and my train journey halved!) by the gathering of friends at mr_kobayashi's new place (damn, your LJ name is harder to spell than my surname!). Much sillyness ensued.
Without a shread of guilt we slept a lot of Saturday away. It seems to be taking me a long time to recover from exams! Other things from the weekend like playing games and watching films, were also good, it seems like a long time since I was able to relax. Went to see Shrek 3 with Mart's sister and her boyfriend on Saturday night. It was OK, but I hope they have the sense to stop at trilogy.
In amongst this, the last bit of paperwork still hadn't arrived. The estate agents were telling us that we could only then move the following Friday, despite this being the only date we told them wasn't good for us. I feel really bad cause I'm going away for the weekend with my friends, and I won't be there for the first weekend we have our house. But I have so been looking forward to this holiday, relaxing and catching up.kate_the_medic, who sorted the whole weekend has done so much to help me with my exams and everything, I couldn't pull out, I don't want to. On the plus side, it sounds as though there may be birthday celebrations afoot up't Andover way, which would keep Mart's mind off not moving. (Not such a plus that I won't be there too...)
After some more phone calls with the moron lawyers, we finally got the last document faxed today. Mart took the afternoon off work so that I could sign it and we took it all to the post office for next day delivery. I guess there is a slim chance that everything could be in place for Thursday. The estate agents called again today and said that the seller maybe able to do days other than Friday after all.
So I'm kindof in Limbo land. I have filled my parent's house so full of my stuff that there is barely any room for me there, at Mart's mum and dad's I am living out of a suitcase (again). However, I will not let my plans for my holiday be too much delayed...ER DVD boxset...
Friday
msraynsfordand I were happily distracted from the woes of the house moving (and my train journey halved!) by the gathering of friends at mr_kobayashi's new place (damn, your LJ name is harder to spell than my surname!). Much sillyness ensued. Without a shread of guilt we slept a lot of Saturday away. It seems to be taking me a long time to recover from exams! Other things from the weekend like playing games and watching films, were also good, it seems like a long time since I was able to relax. Went to see Shrek 3 with Mart's sister and her boyfriend on Saturday night. It was OK, but I hope they have the sense to stop at trilogy.
In amongst this, the last bit of paperwork still hadn't arrived. The estate agents were telling us that we could only then move the following Friday, despite this being the only date we told them wasn't good for us. I feel really bad cause I'm going away for the weekend with my friends, and I won't be there for the first weekend we have our house. But I have so been looking forward to this holiday, relaxing and catching up.
kate_the_medic, who sorted the whole weekend has done so much to help me with my exams and everything, I couldn't pull out, I don't want to. On the plus side, it sounds as though there may be birthday celebrations afoot up't Andover way, which would keep Mart's mind off not moving. (Not such a plus that I won't be there too...)After some more phone calls with the moron lawyers, we finally got the last document faxed today. Mart took the afternoon off work so that I could sign it and we took it all to the post office for next day delivery. I guess there is a slim chance that everything could be in place for Thursday. The estate agents called again today and said that the seller maybe able to do days other than Friday after all.
So I'm kindof in Limbo land. I have filled my parent's house so full of my stuff that there is barely any room for me there, at Mart's mum and dad's I am living out of a suitcase (again). However, I will not let my plans for my holiday be too much delayed...ER DVD boxset...
Current Location: Poole
Current Mood: cranky
cranky28 June 2007 @ 12:00 pm
Yesterday I graduated as a doctor.
It was a lovely day, if not a little surreal. Can't get used to the idea of being finished yet. My mum, dad, sister, Nan and grandad and Martin all came to watch me flit across the stage in my gowns. Despite the weather lately, it actually stayed dry long enough for us to have a picnic. Mum made another amazing cake! It was a nice location, at Alexandra Palace. After the ceremony we went for dinner together, then Mart went back to his parent's and I went home with mine.
Unfortunately while parking outside the restaurant, Mart and I incurred an £80 parking ticket. I'm not sure that there are sufficient expletives to cover my feelings on this matter. Needless to say, I shall not miss parking in London.
Despite having a nice happy day graduating, I am not so happy today. We were supposed to be moving into our new house tomorrow. That is now not happening. Why? Because between them, the estate agents and the lawyers have bungled paperwork and confused themselves. It is extremely fraustrating. The only reason we even found out today that we wouldn't be able to move tomorrow was because Mart rang round trying to find out what the confusion was. In addition to a piece of paperwork we were never sent that needs to be signed, there is another piece of mortgage paperwork we didn't even know about. Apparently that was sent last night, so we may not even receive it tomorrow. As for the other form, we called them about it on Sunday, on Monday I called again to make sure it was sent, and they told me it was in the post. Today they told Mart that they were about to send out a fourth copy...are they sending it out in triplicate to be buried for 30yrs and then fed to the ravenous bugblatter beast of Trall?
I really don't know what we are doing now, or how long it will take for us to move. Next weekend I am going away for a girlie weekend and it has been booked for months, hopefully we can move in the week. Gah!
Still have to pack some stuff at mum and dad's while I'm here though.
It was a lovely day, if not a little surreal. Can't get used to the idea of being finished yet. My mum, dad, sister, Nan and grandad and Martin all came to watch me flit across the stage in my gowns. Despite the weather lately, it actually stayed dry long enough for us to have a picnic. Mum made another amazing cake! It was a nice location, at Alexandra Palace. After the ceremony we went for dinner together, then Mart went back to his parent's and I went home with mine.
Unfortunately while parking outside the restaurant, Mart and I incurred an £80 parking ticket. I'm not sure that there are sufficient expletives to cover my feelings on this matter. Needless to say, I shall not miss parking in London.
Despite having a nice happy day graduating, I am not so happy today. We were supposed to be moving into our new house tomorrow. That is now not happening. Why? Because between them, the estate agents and the lawyers have bungled paperwork and confused themselves. It is extremely fraustrating. The only reason we even found out today that we wouldn't be able to move tomorrow was because Mart rang round trying to find out what the confusion was. In addition to a piece of paperwork we were never sent that needs to be signed, there is another piece of mortgage paperwork we didn't even know about. Apparently that was sent last night, so we may not even receive it tomorrow. As for the other form, we called them about it on Sunday, on Monday I called again to make sure it was sent, and they told me it was in the post. Today they told Mart that they were about to send out a fourth copy...are they sending it out in triplicate to be buried for 30yrs and then fed to the ravenous bugblatter beast of Trall?
I really don't know what we are doing now, or how long it will take for us to move. Next weekend I am going away for a girlie weekend and it has been booked for months, hopefully we can move in the week. Gah!
Still have to pack some stuff at mum and dad's while I'm here though.
Current Location: Steeple Aston
Current Mood: frustrated
frustrated25 June 2007 @ 05:31 pm
My mind has been more on the blank side the past few days. I've been slightly drowsy and zombified, but mainly I've had a smile on my face.
Spent the weekend withkate_the_medicand tompullman, upped my alcoholic drinks quota and had my first hangover as a doctor. I would never had believed you could fit as many people into a little cottage as I saw at their housewarming.
I have also been very happy to be reunited withmsraynsford, he survived a week working on a boat in Scotland.
Although I have been free from worry, I feel I may be verging on new ones. Mart and I got back to his parent's on Sunday to 2 letters from the lawyers, sent on the same day, saying the same thing: why haven't we signed this piece of paperwork and we can't move without it. Well it would have been nice whilst they were sending out those letters if they had bothered to send this paperwork in the first place. All we have is a piece of paper say it was 'to follow'. Now this is unfortunate, as we were hoping to, and otherwise all set to move this weekend coming. I would really rather it wasn't held up by lack of paperwork.
Anyway, we just have to wait for it to arrive now.
Today I have been getting dusty with packing stuff here at Mart's parent's house. We are going to his sister's for dinner tonight which is nice, I haven't been to her new place yet. I'm really hoping that the weather will clear up for my graduation on Wednesday.
Thanks for all your nice comments! I'm really looking forward to seeing people again soon. When we have eventually moved we plan to have a housewarming/engagement/I'm a doctor party.
Spent the weekend with
kate_the_medicand tompullman, upped my alcoholic drinks quota and had my first hangover as a doctor. I would never had believed you could fit as many people into a little cottage as I saw at their housewarming. I have also been very happy to be reunited with
msraynsford, he survived a week working on a boat in Scotland. Although I have been free from worry, I feel I may be verging on new ones. Mart and I got back to his parent's on Sunday to 2 letters from the lawyers, sent on the same day, saying the same thing: why haven't we signed this piece of paperwork and we can't move without it. Well it would have been nice whilst they were sending out those letters if they had bothered to send this paperwork in the first place. All we have is a piece of paper say it was 'to follow'. Now this is unfortunate, as we were hoping to, and otherwise all set to move this weekend coming. I would really rather it wasn't held up by lack of paperwork.
Anyway, we just have to wait for it to arrive now.
Today I have been getting dusty with packing stuff here at Mart's parent's house. We are going to his sister's for dinner tonight which is nice, I haven't been to her new place yet. I'm really hoping that the weather will clear up for my graduation on Wednesday.
Thanks for all your nice comments! I'm really looking forward to seeing people again soon. When we have eventually moved we plan to have a housewarming/engagement/I'm a doctor party.
21 June 2007 @ 12:28 pm
What a relief!
Somehow I managed to get through yesterday. My sister came into London with me to collect the results. Admin had made a big deal about them being up 'by 5pm'. We got there at about 5.15pm and the place was empty. No students, no results, no anything except an unfinished banner reading 'Congratulations class of 200'. My sister thought it was a joke, I thought perhaps the world had ended and everyone was zombies or something.
I didn't really know what to do then. In walking to the admin office I saw someone I knew, and they informed me that the results were not out yet for some reason. 100s of stressed out medics spread across campus biting their nails off. So we went to Starbucks to sit it out. By 6pm the results were up (nothing like that extra hour of unexplained extra stress to really properly end your time at medschool). I checked 3 times on the list, I definately passed, I'm definately a doctor. How weird is that? I wonder how long it will take for me to stop thinking that I am a medstudent, having been one for so long?
I met up with some of my also newly doctor friends and we went for dinner. Didn't want to stay out too late 'cause my sister had to drive me home and she is in the middle of a week of training to drive ambulances. In the end though, I didn't get home until 11pm. Mum had put up balloons and made
Dad's on late shifts this week, so he got in about 11.30 and I got nice congratulations cards from my parent's and sister and mum and dad bought me some gorgeous earrings for my graduation.
Last night may have been the best sleep I have had in years. I didn't have to dream about exams. I'm sure there will be plenty to worry about in the future, but today, I can relax and be happy and try and let the news sink in.
Thankyou for all you nice comments and thinking of me over the past few days.
Somehow I managed to get through yesterday. My sister came into London with me to collect the results. Admin had made a big deal about them being up 'by 5pm'. We got there at about 5.15pm and the place was empty. No students, no results, no anything except an unfinished banner reading 'Congratulations class of 200'. My sister thought it was a joke, I thought perhaps the world had ended and everyone was zombies or something.
I didn't really know what to do then. In walking to the admin office I saw someone I knew, and they informed me that the results were not out yet for some reason. 100s of stressed out medics spread across campus biting their nails off. So we went to Starbucks to sit it out. By 6pm the results were up (nothing like that extra hour of unexplained extra stress to really properly end your time at medschool). I checked 3 times on the list, I definately passed, I'm definately a doctor. How weird is that? I wonder how long it will take for me to stop thinking that I am a medstudent, having been one for so long?
I met up with some of my also newly doctor friends and we went for dinner. Didn't want to stay out too late 'cause my sister had to drive me home and she is in the middle of a week of training to drive ambulances. In the end though, I didn't get home until 11pm. Mum had put up balloons and made
( brilliant cake )
Dad's on late shifts this week, so he got in about 11.30 and I got nice congratulations cards from my parent's and sister and mum and dad bought me some gorgeous earrings for my graduation.
Last night may have been the best sleep I have had in years. I didn't have to dream about exams. I'm sure there will be plenty to worry about in the future, but today, I can relax and be happy and try and let the news sink in.
Thankyou for all you nice comments and thinking of me over the past few days.
Current Location: Steeple Aston
Current Mood: 
accomplished
accomplished19 June 2007 @ 11:20 pm
This time last year, a very tired kate_the_medic still couldn't sleep for fear of the day that followed...the medical school finalist's results day. In light of this, an old-enough-to-know-better tompullman suggested (as a joke I think) that we go clubbing. Well, we took him up on the idea, and some hurried make-up later (for Tom, 'cause obviously Kate and I are always fresh faced and gorgeous) we wandered into Soho.
As it turned out, Tuesday around midnight is not big for clubbing. I think Tom may have attracted some male attention. After a couple of G+T's we mainly roamed the streets giggling loudly until going to a cafe and ending the night with a hot chocolate.
To be honest, I can't remember what we did the next day to keep Kate distracted, but I do remember accompanying her and many of my good friends to read the hallowed list in Huntley Street, the moment when they became doctors.
A year on, and it is my turn to be over-tired but still sleepless. Only there is no Kate and Tom with me, and I am not within a stone's throw of Soho. My mum, who has a sore throat, reckons she'll be awake most of the night, if I want to go and have a chat.
Results are out in 17.5 hours. I am bricking it.
kate_the_medic still couldn't sleep for fear of the day that followed...the medical school finalist's results day. In light of this, an old-enough-to-know-better tompullman suggested (as a joke I think) that we go clubbing. Well, we took him up on the idea, and some hurried make-up later (for Tom, 'cause obviously Kate and I are always fresh faced and gorgeous) we wandered into Soho. As it turned out, Tuesday around midnight is not big for clubbing. I think Tom may have attracted some male attention. After a couple of G+T's we mainly roamed the streets giggling loudly until going to a cafe and ending the night with a hot chocolate.
To be honest, I can't remember what we did the next day to keep Kate distracted, but I do remember accompanying her and many of my good friends to read the hallowed list in Huntley Street, the moment when they became doctors.
A year on, and it is my turn to be over-tired but still sleepless. Only there is no Kate and Tom with me, and I am not within a stone's throw of Soho. My mum, who has a sore throat, reckons she'll be awake most of the night, if I want to go and have a chat.
Results are out in 17.5 hours. I am bricking it.
Current Location: Steeple Aston
Current Mood: 
scared
scared19 June 2007 @ 03:29 pm
Spent most of the morning in my dressing gown reading OOTS. I am very behind and they are very funny.
Unfortunately I really had to stop avoiding the task of sorting out my clothes which, after several moves and washes, have ended up all over the place in various suitcases and baskets. Most of them don't even fit me, but that it an entirely different and boring story.
So yeah, started with the clothes sorting, got bored. Turned my laptop on and went downstairs to escape the chaos of my temporary room.
It's going to be Wednesday tomorrow. Arg. I have just folded up my short white coat ready to store. I hope that is symbolic and I won't need to be getting it out of storage again. The waiting is sort of doing my head in.
Unfortunately I really had to stop avoiding the task of sorting out my clothes which, after several moves and washes, have ended up all over the place in various suitcases and baskets. Most of them don't even fit me, but that it an entirely different and boring story.
So yeah, started with the clothes sorting, got bored. Turned my laptop on and went downstairs to escape the chaos of my temporary room.
It's going to be Wednesday tomorrow. Arg. I have just folded up my short white coat ready to store. I hope that is symbolic and I won't need to be getting it out of storage again. The waiting is sort of doing my head in.
Current Location: Steeple Aston
Current Mood: 
apathetic
apathetic17 June 2007 @ 09:10 pm
I knew it'd been a while since I was last on LJ, I hadn't realised it has been over a month. It wasn't a plan, finals actually took over my life.
Along with my fellow finalists, over the past few months I have become cut off from the real world, able to communicate only in medical terminology or high speed, high pitched panic. I believe this has been particularly difficult for those of us whose partners are not involved in the medical world. (Obviously here I mean that it has been difficult for our partners...perhaps the english language has not returned to me as much as I thought it had).
Anyhoo, I have been through the 5 final examinations which are designed to conclude the past six years of my life. The last one was on Wednesday and I have slowly been acclimatising to the real world since then. This process isn't complete. Thankfully I have moved out from halls, I'm at my parent's place for a week with all my stuff taking up space.
I haven't seen Mart for ages. I am completely fed up with being away from him, I'm just not very good at it. Less than a week until I see him though.
Results are out on Wednesday. I can't get it off my mind. I dream about it every night. In some of them I pass, in lots of them I fail. Had this freaky dream where I was in Grey's Anatomy and my patient died whilst I was operating and afterwards George told me I would never be a doctor. This was a very disturbing dream, mainly because I have only ever seen one episode of Grey's Anatomy, sometime last year. There is something wrong with my brain.
I can't make real plans or think about the future until after Wednesday. Only 3 more days then.
Along with my fellow finalists, over the past few months I have become cut off from the real world, able to communicate only in medical terminology or high speed, high pitched panic. I believe this has been particularly difficult for those of us whose partners are not involved in the medical world. (Obviously here I mean that it has been difficult for our partners...perhaps the english language has not returned to me as much as I thought it had).
Anyhoo, I have been through the 5 final examinations which are designed to conclude the past six years of my life. The last one was on Wednesday and I have slowly been acclimatising to the real world since then. This process isn't complete. Thankfully I have moved out from halls, I'm at my parent's place for a week with all my stuff taking up space.
I haven't seen Mart for ages. I am completely fed up with being away from him, I'm just not very good at it. Less than a week until I see him though.
Results are out on Wednesday. I can't get it off my mind. I dream about it every night. In some of them I pass, in lots of them I fail. Had this freaky dream where I was in Grey's Anatomy and my patient died whilst I was operating and afterwards George told me I would never be a doctor. This was a very disturbing dream, mainly because I have only ever seen one episode of Grey's Anatomy, sometime last year. There is something wrong with my brain.
I can't make real plans or think about the future until after Wednesday. Only 3 more days then.
09 May 2007 @ 06:32 pm
I have been somewhat anxious. My friend Kate and I practiced lots of examining last night (I was a hardcore student and worked until after 11pm!) and I am so glad we did.
It was all examing patients, finding what signs they had and giving diagnosis/treatment plan. We were in student pairs, which was more reassuring that just being alone. I barely got through the morning of lectures being so worried about the afternoon exam, but at the first station I thought I'd be brave and volunteer to go first. Turns out I am rubbish at examining the spine, what a surprise. It was worse that we had just had a lecture on it in the morning, but my mind going blank under pressure seems to be a new thing that is here to stay...
I couldn't think of a diagnosis when asked, my examination was appauling and I could feel my eyes stinging from the want to just cry and give up now. To make it worse, my partner then gave a textbook perfect example of how to answer this particular station and I just felt even more of an idiot.
Thankfully I didn't actually cry and it didn't get worse from there. I wasn't exactly a stellar student, but both my partner and I seemed to be more equally matched in further cases and agreed when stuff was really hard. We got a break halfway through, which was kind of them, but it might have been better just to go get it over with! The second half was by far the easier for me, and I actually feel I would have passed that half!
I'm just so glad that it's done now. We've got another one tomorrow, which may well be god awful, but at least it is practice!
We have also been fed twice today (free food is always good for students), doesn't quite make up for there being no heating in the rooms, but they did get some extra blankets for us. I know I won't be able to relax until I am away from here anyway.
Anyway, I am sort of being a good girl now by being in the library. I say sort of as I am obviously updating my LJ right now, and a big reason for being in the library until is closes it that it has heating...
It was all examing patients, finding what signs they had and giving diagnosis/treatment plan. We were in student pairs, which was more reassuring that just being alone. I barely got through the morning of lectures being so worried about the afternoon exam, but at the first station I thought I'd be brave and volunteer to go first. Turns out I am rubbish at examining the spine, what a surprise. It was worse that we had just had a lecture on it in the morning, but my mind going blank under pressure seems to be a new thing that is here to stay...
I couldn't think of a diagnosis when asked, my examination was appauling and I could feel my eyes stinging from the want to just cry and give up now. To make it worse, my partner then gave a textbook perfect example of how to answer this particular station and I just felt even more of an idiot.
Thankfully I didn't actually cry and it didn't get worse from there. I wasn't exactly a stellar student, but both my partner and I seemed to be more equally matched in further cases and agreed when stuff was really hard. We got a break halfway through, which was kind of them, but it might have been better just to go get it over with! The second half was by far the easier for me, and I actually feel I would have passed that half!
I'm just so glad that it's done now. We've got another one tomorrow, which may well be god awful, but at least it is practice!
We have also been fed twice today (free food is always good for students), doesn't quite make up for there being no heating in the rooms, but they did get some extra blankets for us. I know I won't be able to relax until I am away from here anyway.
Anyway, I am sort of being a good girl now by being in the library. I say sort of as I am obviously updating my LJ right now, and a big reason for being in the library until is closes it that it has heating...
Current Location: Basildon
Current Mood: 
giddy
giddy08 May 2007 @ 10:56 am
Feels like a long time since I updated, although it was less than a week ago.
I am trying to be quick as I perhaps should be using this time for a quick bit of revision before lectures.
Been a lovely few days since I last posted, even with some revision! I headed off to Mart's after clinical skills on Thursday. We went to the pub for dinner and relaxed and chatted. Talked about wedding stuff. Mart had Friday off work so we could go to see a potential wedding venue, so it was nice to get to spend all those days together over the bank holiday, and pretty unusual.
The wedding venue is gorgeous and we were both very smiley walking round. It is the place we are going to get married and that's very exciting. At the moment we are keeping details a surprise! Driving there and back did take up quite alot of the day though, especially in the holiday traffic, but I did some revision in the evening.
Sunday night we went to Andover. Other than spending a couple of hours in a field with kites, most of the evening was spent playing card games and chatting inmadczechfriend's lounge. Also there was drinking. And it has been a very long time since I've had more than a couple of glasses of wine of an evening, so I felt a bit worse for wear on Monday morning! It was really good to catch up with my friends I haven't seen for such a long time. And it was really nice to relax and not think about work.
Yesterday, Mart and I mostly chilled out and watched Scrubs (which might nearly be revision??). Sadly, I had to go back to London and pack ready for this week's sojourn to Basildon.
I have got a room in G block, the worst of the accommodation here, but thankfully, my room doesn't seem too bad. I don't wish to be there any longer than I have to, but it's survivable. Food is going to be interesting though, since there is no crockery or cutlery in the kitchen. Makes even pot noodle difficult.
Although I was up early to travel across London, and now have sore hands from dragging my suitcase from the station to the hospital, the teaching doesn't start until 11.30. On the plus side, we have been given log-in's and passwords for the computers.
I think it is going to be a pretty scary week. There are 2 mock practical exams, which is a really good idea in principle, but it has real patients and real examiners and I am going to look a real idiot. It's less than 4 weeks to the exams, so I need to see how crap I really am.
I am trying to be quick as I perhaps should be using this time for a quick bit of revision before lectures.
Been a lovely few days since I last posted, even with some revision! I headed off to Mart's after clinical skills on Thursday. We went to the pub for dinner and relaxed and chatted. Talked about wedding stuff. Mart had Friday off work so we could go to see a potential wedding venue, so it was nice to get to spend all those days together over the bank holiday, and pretty unusual.
The wedding venue is gorgeous and we were both very smiley walking round. It is the place we are going to get married and that's very exciting. At the moment we are keeping details a surprise! Driving there and back did take up quite alot of the day though, especially in the holiday traffic, but I did some revision in the evening.
Sunday night we went to Andover. Other than spending a couple of hours in a field with kites, most of the evening was spent playing card games and chatting in
madczechfriend's lounge. Also there was drinking. And it has been a very long time since I've had more than a couple of glasses of wine of an evening, so I felt a bit worse for wear on Monday morning! It was really good to catch up with my friends I haven't seen for such a long time. And it was really nice to relax and not think about work.Yesterday, Mart and I mostly chilled out and watched Scrubs (which might nearly be revision??). Sadly, I had to go back to London and pack ready for this week's sojourn to Basildon.
I have got a room in G block, the worst of the accommodation here, but thankfully, my room doesn't seem too bad. I don't wish to be there any longer than I have to, but it's survivable. Food is going to be interesting though, since there is no crockery or cutlery in the kitchen. Makes even pot noodle difficult.
Although I was up early to travel across London, and now have sore hands from dragging my suitcase from the station to the hospital, the teaching doesn't start until 11.30. On the plus side, we have been given log-in's and passwords for the computers.
I think it is going to be a pretty scary week. There are 2 mock practical exams, which is a really good idea in principle, but it has real patients and real examiners and I am going to look a real idiot. It's less than 4 weeks to the exams, so I need to see how crap I really am.
Current Location: Basildon
Current Mood: nervous
nervous02 May 2007 @ 08:05 pm
Been and done the presentation. It was OK. Apparently I may have to go back and do it again in 2 weeks when the sperm lab staff are there. There was one supremely embarrasssing moment where I realised (just after everyone else) that in the process of cutting and pasting I swapped the column headings 'pregnant' and 'not preganant' and instantly increased the success of fertility treatment. D'oh. I'm not sure if some people were disgusted or not. I felt like defending myself in saying that I only knew about this definately last night, and that I wasn't even told to bring a powerpoint presentation. And I'm revising for finals. But I just carried on and, well I'm probably never going to see those people again.
Good news for Diana, the other girl I was on that module with, that they all seem really keen on getting her project work published. Does mean more work for her though. The good thing for me is that Dee is a very nice reasonable student, and we came to the agreement that if one of us got a publication out of it, we would try to get the other's name on it too, since initially it was the same project that ended up splitting into two, so alot of the basic research we did together.
But the meeting was over an hour and a half ago and I am still in the library. It has taken nearly this long to print out a load of revision lectures since the printers here are close to useless. Couldn't really concentrait on work during this time, since I had to leap up every 2 pages to sort out a paper jam before it did anymore. As a result, I have a new LJ layout...ahem.
Now I am tired again, but more of a satisfied tired, that I've actually been out and done something. Need to make a trip to find a microwave meal me thinks...it's far too late for real cookery.
Current Location: Cruciform
Current Mood: 
satisfied
satisfied02 May 2007 @ 02:48 pm
At least I have done some work now. Even worked while eating lunch. That is a sad state of affairs. I pretty much have all my meals at my desk when I am in London, but mostly I will look at a magazine or something so that I am not working and eating.
I'm feeling really preoccupied by this presentation I'm going to do this evening, and I'm letting that put me off the reams of boring revision I have in front of me. In reality, this presentation of mine may take 10mins maximum, and what's the problem if they ask me a question I can't answer?
It's really good that I don't have a TV, I really feeling like vegging out in front of one right now. Wish I could snap out of this now, since this is the last day for a while that I'm actually going to be at my desk. Tomorrow night I will be with Mart and I will feel better. Should be making the best of this day instead of going against it.
Maybe tea will help.
02 May 2007 @ 11:25 am
For some reason, I am so tired today I could cry. Well the crying part has really just been brought on by the fact that I have just realised I've scheduled a whole day's worth of revision into tomorrow, when I have to be in clinical skills all day, and therefore not at my desk. Now I have to move all of that revision into other days in order to keep up. And I'm already behind my own schedule. Did I mention I was tired?
Current Location: My room in halls
Current Mood: tired
tiredCurrent Music: Gwen Stefani - What You Waiting For?
01 May 2007 @ 04:08 pm
Was supposed to be meeting my parent's in about 5 minutes to go out for dinner. Unfortunately their brakes died on the way over here, and they are now waiting to be towed home. This is obviously not good news for them, but I am feeling very disappointed for myself. And I am not the one waiting at a service station for my broken car to be towed home. I am bad.
Just means a night alone *sob* with revision *actual tears*(only kidding, I can just about keep it together in public...)
If I had the internet in my room, perhaps I would be less bothered that I am in the library now, and have to walk home again. AT least I can go to the shop on the way home and buy something for dinner. May also force me to do some washing up now that I have nothing to eat off.
Didn't get going really early like I could have today, but have been trying to make up for it since. I guess I now have more time for the study tonight.
Tomorrow night I am presenting my reproductive medicine project to the unit at UCH. Have a feeling that is going to be nerve racking. I have no clue if I am supposed to bring a power point or something of it. In fact I don't even know if I have a hard copy of it...good job I am thinking of this now.
Current Location: RF library
Current Mood: 
disappointed
disappointed30 April 2007 @ 11:33 pm
Managed to get going with the work eventually, was slow going though. Now I am tired, hungry and thirsty. It would probably be best just to go to bed, but I am instead going to have a hot chocolate. And possibly a jaffa cake.
Not really much point going to bed yet, as there is a group of students congregated in the corridor having a nice loud chit chat. Reasons why it sucks to be a medical student #many: exams always seem to be after everyone elses, therefore they are out getting drunk and coming in disturbing your revision/sleep. Although, in the process of my rant, they have actually cleared off to bed.
Did manage to finish the things I planned to get done today, therefore reducing the strain of having too many red items appearing on my task list. And proving that it can be done for tomorrow.
I had an email today from Karina, who was my SHO in Gibraltar. Got me thinking back to elective, and then to before elective, and I started thinking about all those people I haven't seen since Christmas or even before that. I read your LJ's, and Mart see's a lot of you, so I keep kind of up to date with what you're all up to, but I haven't actually spoken to many of you for a long while. Sorry. I guess you can probably see why!
Then this evening Mart suggested that we go visit people in Andover on Saturday night, which was nice, since I'd been thinking about it. So, although it will technically be a longer revision break than I might have otherwise had, I'm sure that it will have lots of relaxing therapeutic value!
( House! )
I am now regretting the food and drink choice before bed. Feeling like acid reflux.
OK, onto more excellent news:
It is all very exciting and strangely makes the wedding feel more tangiable. I almost can't wait to show it off! But first must stop eating jaffa cakes all the time...after the exams...
Current Location: Halls
30 April 2007 @ 03:35 pm
Livejournal minus the internet? It's a new way for me avoid work.
Just having difficulty/impossibility in starting the work right now. Making a cup of tea and promising myself a biscuit if I am good and actually do some revision instead of staring blankly at it. I keep thinking of writing LJ stuff and then just putting it online when I get online. The process of the writing is what makes me feel better anyway. And there seems I have news everyday, even if there isn't the internet. This will just mean that many of my friends will miss the back dated entries. I'm sure it will keep them awake at night.
I can't turn my head to the right. Or look down. It causes pain. I am guessing that this has come about from sitting in the same position all of last week in revision lectures, and from carrying my laptop quite far in my right hand. It is better today, but I have just realised it has a subtle plus, I can't keep looking out the window, cause it hurts.
Ooh...I was making tea.
Current Music: Justin Timberlake - Summer Love