I started my new courses today! They went really well. I went to Philosophy at 10am (the same class is held at 2pm as well - needless to say more people go to the 2pm one!!), then Christian Theology at 11am. Both were good and both were actually very similar in nature although not in content.
Then I met Laura for lunch, which was lovely, and then I went home for a while. My next class, World Religions, was at 4pm. It was also good.
At the start of the classes I did feel out of my depth somewhat cos I have missed a few lectures but I soon got into it. I'm feeling pretty tired now. It is weird coming home after 5pm!

My hamster, Zinzan, has discovered a new trick. In hamster cages there are wheels that they run around in to get exercise. But Zinzan is not your usual hamster. She has started running ON TOP of the wheel instead of in it! I don't have a clue why she started doing this or how she discovered she could do it! I bought Zinzan a new cage a few weeks back and I think she is used to it now. She has a lot more space anyway which is good!

I read an article on the bbc website today about where the loudest and quietest urban areas are in England. To see the article follow this link http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6320799.stm
Quite frankly I think it is utter rubbish. Darlington was placed fourth noisiest on the list..... erm, what?? Darlington isn't noisy! What is that about?? I just don't get it! What stupid things scientists do studies on! Like doing a study on whether dogs get jealous or not! I could have told them that without them having to spend lots of time, effort and money studying it. Dogs get jealous!! Hattie is a prime example! Wow! What a ground breaking statement I have just made!

Here are some pics from the Minster Ball last Friday. It was awesome! Thanks Beth for letting me go! I had such a good time!! Beth and I
I don't know what I am doing
Jennie and I
The girls (l-r): Helen, Beth, me, Jennie, Bryony
Me and Beth

Thanks to Beth for the photos!!!

I borrowed this pic from www.darlofc.co.uk (or Darlo Uncovered). So Ryan came back to the 96.6 TFM Darlington Arena. I think this is such a lovely picture (even though I greatly object to Sam Russell's hair - he is the one in the blue). Ryan was captain for Wrexham which I thought was a nice touch. I was really angry when 'Manwoman' started shouting 'traitor' at him - how is he a traitor if he wanted to be with his family? Stay at Darlo or be with family in Wales and maybe get picked to play for your country? Hmmmm..... tough decision!
So, Darlo drew 1 all with Wrexham. It did highlight how much we miss Ryan. Craig James who is now playing in his place is poor in comparison.
The match turned really nasty towards the end. The Wrexham goalkeeper, Michael Ingham, (who has actually played for Darlo when on loan a few years back) apparently kicked a water bottle into the crowd and our supporters turned on him very nastily. To be honest I missed the incident totally but I certainly saw bottles being thrown ON to the pitch so I think a story about a pot, a kettle and the colour black would suit very well at the moment. It was actually quite scary towards the end and I felt sorry for Michael Ingham. It seemed to me that he didn't mean anything malicious and that the Darlo fans were acting like pathetic animals. I was ashamed to be sitting amongst them.
But it was so nice to see Ryan back in Darlo although I do wish he had been playing in black and white, rather than red!

At the moment I am sitting in an internet cafe that I passed when I was walking through Glasgow. My computer has broken (again!!) and Dad has taken it home to be repaired..... or made it is 'totalled' and I'll need to get a new one. It is getting a bit ridiculous though! I was going to go up to the uni library to use the computers there but I couldn't really be bothered so when I passed this place I thought, 'Why not?!'
So my news is that I will (fingers crossed) be graduating this summer, instead of next year. I was sick of honours and being thoroughly bored by the lectures and topics that were being covered. To be honest, I just wanted to go home and be done with Glasgow. But my Dad suggested maybe trying to move to a three year, non honours degree which I thought was a good idea. My plan was that I would take time out of uni until next year and then do the final year of the three year degree. So I went to see my adviser and he said that it was definitely possible to transfer to a three year course and that I may even be able to finish it this year. So, that is the plan at the moment. My adviser needs to work some stuff out but it should be ok!!
So there you go. A little update on a big change!

I'm sorry for the lack of posting recently. I've been pretty busy. Had Andrea and Ruthie visitng and that was good. I did so much driving but it wasn't as bad as I thought - in the end I drove even more than I thought and enjoyed it. The worst bit was the journey from Inverness to Darlington. It was really tough because I was just really tired. But I managed it and, of course, I didn't drive the whole way!
I hope Andrea and Ruthie had a good time. I think they now know more about Glasgow than I do and I have been here for 2 and a half very long years. In the second week I didn't really spend much time with them because I either had lectures or work to do or was ill.... what a great week!!! lol. We did have a great day in Edinburgh, even though the weather was awful!!
They left on Sunday morning and there isn't much to say about this week really.

Well Christmas has already come and gone.... and I'm all Christmassed out so I can't really be bothered to talk a great deal about it! But I got lots of wonderful presents from some wonderful people so thank you!!

I was speaking to Luke (our minister's son who is four years old) on Christmas Eve and he was just so, so excited about it being Christmas! He was worried that he wouldn't be able to get to sleep so that Santa would come and give him presents. But he did have a solution and that was to try and sleep facing the wall or snuggled under the blankets. So cute! I wish I could get excited about Christmas. I didn't even open a present until after 10am. Oh to be four years old again!

Now on to New Year! I'm driving up to Glasgow tomorrow (so worried about the parking!) to tidy my flat before Andrea and Ruthie arrive. They arrive very early on Saturday morning which is not very far away now!!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Once my seminar had finished on Friday, I headed home and packed my bag then got the train to Edinburgh. I met Sue at this little place just off the Royal Mile called Chocolate Soup. To say that this place was amazing just doesn't give it enough credit!! How I wish there was a place like that in Glasgow!!! It was really nice to see Sue. I thought I hadn't seen her since schoolk but actually (and Christine, yes Christine, reminded me of this today) that I bumped into her when I went back to visit school when Christine was down visiting me! But still, that was a little while ago so it was really nice to catch up. She seems to be enjoying Edinburgh a lot so that is awesome.
Then I went to meet Mum and Meg outside Jenners. We wandered around for a while and then went to eat at this restaurant. It was terrible. I can usually find something that suits me, even though I am a really fussy eater, but there was NOTHING on the menu that I liked. So that meal definitely wasn't a success! We then walked to our hotel which was clearly the furthest away hotel that Mum could have picked. We had a little bit of time before we were going to the theatre so we just relaxed for a while.
We got a taxi to the Playhouse (which clearly we didn't need). We went to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It was good, and it did amuse me that Rab C. Nesbitt and Shirley from River City were both in it!! It was pretty spectacular and I enjoyed it so much. I think I have become a Broadway snob though because the last thing that I went to see was the Lion King on Broadway and that was just so amazing that I don't think that anything will ever live up to that!
On Saturday we caught the bus to Ocean Terminal and while Mum and Meg looked round the Britannia I did some shopping. When they eventually caught up with me, we had some lunch and then went back to the city centre. We looked round Marks and Spencers then, of course, I took them both to Chocolate Soup!!! lol
Finally we had a look round the German Market, which was pretty difficult to do because it was just sooooo busy!! Then it was time to go home. Mum was heading up to Inverness for a funeral on Monday and her train was first. Then I walked Meg to her train and made sure she was on there safely. And then I caught my train. It was so busy and a lot of people had to stand. I was so thankful that I got a seat.

Today I met up with Christine. We went to Wesley Owen to do a little shopping and have some lunch. I was really angry because I found three copies of Authentic Beauty by Leslie Ludy on one of the shelves. When I had last been in Wesley Owen I tried to order two copies but they said that it was out of print because they were releasing a new edition next year. They asked around all the other Wesley Owens and were able to get only one for me and now I go into the shop and find three just sitting there!!!! So annoying!! It was really nice to catch up with Christine though because I have only seen her twice this term!

I just thought I'd say that I have finished all my work for this term!!!

WOOHOO!! *dances around the room*

I managed to get all my work done last week. It was pretty tough but I did it (not that that was ever in any doubt!!). I've just one essay to do now and that is due in on Friday so I have got all the books that I need together and now I'll have to get on with that!

I went home on Saturday morning! I was relieved to have a bit of a break. On the train I made up a schedule for Andrea and Ruthie's trip over here. It looks like it is going to be a busy time and I am going to be doing more driving than I would like but I am definitely looking forward to seeing Andrea and meeting Ruthie!
I was pleased to see Mum, Dad and Hattie but I wished that I had brought Zinzan with me. For the two nights that I was at home I was constantly uneasy about having left him in the flat. He was fine though! Dad and I went to the football - second round FA cup match against Swansea. We scored first but ended up losing 3-1. It was a shame but I'm not gutted or anything. We are still in the Johnsons Paint Trophy so it certainly isn't the end of the world!
In the evening we went out for tea to the Chinese buffet - always great!!
On Sunday we went to church as usual. There was a power cut so there was no light or heat. They were unsure whether there would be an evening service even but there was. Mum was on creche duty and looked after little Samuel. He is such a cutie but wouldn't smile for me at all!
In the afternoon I went next door to meet little Edward. He is just so cute but is very colicky so was crying a lot. Mum gave him a bottle then he fell asleep when I was holding him. Grace was in good form. She is even more adorable now that she is talking a little bit now. She has a very cute sense of humour! Today she is going round to my house for my Mum to look after her when Edward is getting some jabs. I wish I was still at home!
On Monday I went into town and did a little shopping, then went round to Sarah's for lunch and a bit of a catch up. Then I had to head back to Glasgow. The train was so busy and the journey seemed to take forever! But I did get back eventually!

Well, Scotland lost the rugby yesterday. I didn't really expect them to win but it would have been nice! Darlo won against the MK Dons though so I'm happy. We had our captain, Clark Keltie, sent of after just 30 minutes so we were playing the rest of the match with 10 men. We always tend to win when we have gone down to 10 men, just as we always tend to lose when we are playing against 10 men. I think when a team is a man down there is just much more grit and determination.
I got so much reading done yesterday and I am ready to write my essay which is good - I'm just having difficult starting it! That is always the most difficult part!

I'm sitting in the library at the moment reading for the essay that I have in on Monday. It is nearly 2.30pm on Saturday and I have been here since 9am. What makes it worse is that there is somewhere where I'd much rather be - the north west of England where all my friends are presently because it is Jonathan's birthday tomorrow. I can't believe I'm missing out! Gutted! But this Barbarians essay won't write itself, as they say! The reading is going quite well so far - I'm not panicking anyway and I think I chose a good question to answer... Are Latin histories of the Goths more Roman than Barbarian? It seems to be pretty straight forward at the moment anyway!
I am listening to TFM over the internet at the moment. Soccer Saturday used to have a feature called Hodgy's Choice where David Hodgson would pick his favourite of three songs and it would be played at the end of the show. This was the first time that I had listened to Soccer Saturday since DH had been sacked and I'd forgotten that he, of course, wouldn't be picking his favourite!! lol It was a bit weird really. They didn't speak to the new manager, Dave Penney, at all. I have no idea what he sounds like which is also weird!! Darlo are playing MK Dons today. Hopefully we'll keep the winning run going but this is Darlo we are talking about here so I doubt it!
Scotland are playing Australia in the rugby which will be a tough challenge but if we win then we will finish the year off at Murrayfield unbeaten which would be awesome!
Well, I'd best get back to the reading!

I managed to get up in good time today to head out to Edinburgh. I got the train from Queen Street at 10am and met Margaret at Edinburgh Waverly at 11.15am. It doesn't actually take that long to get from Glasgow to Edinburgh but we planned to meet at 11. I arrived at about 10.50 and Margaret at 11.15!! lol
I really wanted to go to Starbucks so we walked pretty much the whole way along Princes Street to get to one! How ridiculous! There were two at one end of the street and none at the end where we started! It is so different to Glasgow where there is one on every corner! Anyway we got there eventually. So, we had our Starbucks and then rang my Dad who had arrived at the Rosses. Instead of picking us up as planned, they decided it would be easier for us to get the bus!! Nightmare! First it took us ages to find the bus stop and when we did the no. 11 had just left so we had to wait about 15mins for the next one!! We did get to our destination in the end. It was good to see Mum and Dad and Hattie, of course! We had lunch and chatted for a while and then Mum, Morag, Margaret and I headed out to a shopping centre. Great fun! We spent most of the time in Marks and Spencer. It was so busy that Margaret and I kept losing each other. I bought a brilliant hat but would have loved to have bought some of the beautiful skirts, dresses and tops that they had. I was obviously in a girly mood! We did eventually make it out of M&S and ended up in Dorothy Perkins. Margaret and I both got winter coats - the same style but different colours! Very exciting!
After we were done shopping we took Margaret back to her flat and then went back to the Rosses for tea. Then I pretty much had to head home on the train back to Glasgow! It was a nice day but I didn't want to come back to Glasgow or say goodbye to my parents!

My mum was telling me yesterday that she was looking at the pictures of the Murder Mystery. She said that I really looked like someone from the 1930s, especially with the hairstyle! That made me so happy!
At the moment I am watching Children in Need and being terrified by Jackie Bird. If you have never watched BBC Scotland (especially the news) then you won't know what I am talking about but she is the most scary woman in the world! I don't want to give her any of my money! They should really get Sally Magnusson to present it cos she is much less scary!

Oh and I have a film recommendation - The Prestige! It is just fabulous!!!

This was posted as a bulletin on myspace by one of my friends. It made me giggle, especially the final two answers!

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY?

(written by kids)
You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you likesports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep thechips and dip coming.-- Alan, age 10

No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry.God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you'restuck with.-- Kristen, age 10

WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?

Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.-- Camille, age 10

HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?

You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at thesame kids.-- Derrick, age 8

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?

Both don't want any more kids.-- Lori, age 8

WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?

Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.-- Lynnette, age 8

On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that Usually getsthem interested enough to go for a second date.-- Martin, age 10

WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THAT WAS TURNING SOUR?

I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapersand make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns. -- Craig, age 9

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?

When they're rich.-- Pam, age 7

The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that.- - Curt, age 7

The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry themand have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.-- Howard, age 8

IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?

It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone toclean up after them.-- Anita, age 9

HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?

There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?-- Kelvin, age 8

HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?

Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a truck.-- Ricky, age 10

So I guess that I should update you on stuff that has been going on recently. To be honest, that isn't a lot. Last week I had an essay due in which I (obviously) handed in on time. It was an insanely difficult essay though - What was the impact of the Reformation on Popular Culture? I mean, seriously, could I have picked a more difficult topic? I think not!! I'm not convinced that I wrote a very good essay but there is nothing that I can do about it now!!
Other than that my weeks have been very, very boring! I'm looking forward to the weekend because my parents are going to be up in Edinburgh visiting the Rosses. So I'm also going to take the very long and very expensive (yeah right!) trip through to see them. I'm also hoping to meet up with my cousin, Margaret, as well cos I haven't seen her for a while. I think I'm going to have to head through to Edinburgh pretty early cos the trains are going to be busy on Saturday. There is a Scotland rugby match going on at Murrayfield that day so I guess many Glaswegians will be making the same trip as me. Last week Scotland beat Romania by a fairly large margin which was pretty encouraging but this week we are playing the Pacific Islands (or the Specific Islands as I keep saying!) which will probably be a much sterner test? Another happy note is that England lost in the rugby again last week!
I'm really excited because this week I got an email from one of my Summit friends, Annie. She and her sister, Laura, who was also at Summit, are going to be in London over Easter and they may come and visit me!!! I am so excited! YAY!! So next year I'm getting visits from Andrea (and Ruthie) over New Year, Annie and Laura just after easter and Keagan at the beginning of summer!!! Lots of things to look forward to!

A few more murder pics:

Lucy Loveless (Esther) and Jimmy Open (Andy)
Suso Shady (Kerry)
Dick Lacey (Findlay)

Ok, so on Saturday 4th November Christine held a murder mystery for her 20th birthday. It was so much fun.
The story was that we were all dinner guests of Sam Shady, a private detective. He was shot in the garden and, of course, all of us were suspects in his murder.
The cast list was:

Mandy Seever (me) : femme fatale (hahahaha!), married to Al DaBone but unfaithful. Sam was blackmailing me.

Jimmy Open (Andy): small time crook, Sam's long lost brother but Sam wanted to keep him a secret.

Suso Shady (Kerry): Sam's chinese wife, he had been cheating on her

Dick Lacey (Findlay): also a private detective and therefore Sam's rival, was losing out to Sam. His secretary was sending work Sam's way.

Lucy Loveless (Esther): Dick Lacey's secretary, having an affair with Sam and pregnant with his child.

Al DaBone (Phil): 'Pet Shop' owner, being investigated by Sam Shady, running illegal businesses and having an affair with Lady Faddington

Lady Faddington (Christine): famous actress but secret alcoholic

Bobby (Bobbi) Cuffs (Julie): police officer, was a bit crooked.

Gemma was also there and was sharing Christine's character. It didn't really work out but it was really nice to see her cos I only tend to see her once a year on Christine's birthday!

So we went through the rounds where different things are revealed and ate a lovely meal. It was great fun! We also had a few fireworks in the garden which gave me the opportunity to wear the fur cape that was part of my costume. Whether you disagree with fur or not, it was very 1930s so don't shout at me! Phil was in charge of lighting the fireworks - a fact that scared me to the very core but actually it went without a hitch thankfully!
Maybe I'll leave you to guess who the murderer was.....

Mandy Seever (me)
Al DaBone (Phil)Lady Faddington (Christine)Bobby/Bobbi Cuffs (Julie)

ok so presently i am annoyed at blogger. yesterday i wrote a really good post about christine's murder mystery last saturday and then it got deleted so i was a bit angry! i will write the post again later i think. im sorry that i haven't posted for a while!

I'm gutted. I missed my first class of the year today. I had been doing so well and was secretly pretty proud of myself because I've not been so good about lectures in the past but I was making a conscious effort to go to them all. But I do have a reason why I didn't go - I'm ill. It isn't fun. It is times like this that I wish I didn't live all alone. :-(