The Royal Hunt Of The Sun.

Today was fairly normal until after my spell in the charity shop. I finished a bit early so that I could trek down to London with my parents to see the show that Scam told us that we had to see, The Royal Hunt of the Sun. So that's what I did. To make things better the tickets were only £10, which does beggar the question if the show is any good. Fortunately it was, and very good. In fact for the three of us to get down to the National Theatre was the same price as it was to get the tickets, which was really impressive. I got down to the Olivier Theatre for £2!!! Yes £2!!! And I didn't even have to sit on the roof.

I was however disappointing before the show had even started. Alun Armstrong was ill so he couldn't play one of the main roles. I really wanted to see him because he was/is awesome in New Tricks. His understudy was really good though, so it didn't really spoil it. The play was good, but the 'extra' bits were really impressive. I mean suddenly the cyclorama opened up and this sun appeared. That was really special/surprising because you couldn't tell that it was about to happen, it just did. There was also this really weird strobe death scene before the interval when all the Spanish people went around killing the Incas.


So at the beginning of the interval I got up and was about to go and get something to drink when I decided to turn around. It just so happened that the person like right next to me resembled Burcher, and really resembled Burcher. It was only when he said, "Hi," that I realised it was in fact Burcher. Bloody hell. What a coincidence! Anyway I got my drink and went back in the see the second half. It was just as good as the first half, and the ending was really moving. The sun rose again (which was still amazing to watch) and you expected the 'God' to rise from the dead, but he didn't. I must go and see it again...

I Hate French.

Two weeks left of school. That's it. That's all. Well, it's even less for me cos of the Art exam next week. Boy it's gone quick. I swear like last week it was January. Well over with my philosophical moment. Maths was doing another paper. French was finishing the listening test and then beginning a writing test. I dunno why, but it seems like Maths papers are really useful for going over stuff, but like French papers are just so damn boring. This may be because of my strong negative view of French (aka. I hate it), but I don't seem to get anything out of them, except pain.

Tech was looking back over the test. I was really surprised by some of the stuff which I was able to do back in Jan, cos I looked at some of my work and didn't have a clue what I had done. I got them right mind, but don't remember how I got them right. Physics seemed really pointless. We watched Birke do an experiment which didn't work, and didn't learn anything at all. I might have learnt more if I had been sitting outside thinking. Chemistry was doing an experiment (Yay!) although I'm sure we've done it before, or at least something very similar before. But hey, Chemistry is fun...

Revising Biology.

I was on a roll in Tech. We were looking over the mock paper, which I did well on (well, 35/50 well on). I actually (for once) knew what was going on and answered loads of questions. Wooooo!!! Go me!!!! Geography was the usual really, really interesting although bordering on chaos at times.

Drama was spent listening to Scammell telling us how to talk about lighting in our exams (although I am pretty sure that he told us never to touch such a question, even with a long pole). Bio was spent looking our how us humans are bad for the earth and then we were watching the video which we saw ages ago, although most people missed it because there were either in Sciliy or London. Instead our bench used the science laptops (yes, the horrible slow things) for revising 'Biology'. Yeah right...

French Down, Drama Down, Art Still Ahead.

I awoke this morning feeling rather better than of late. I mean I don't have to worry about my French oral or my Drama exam. They're done. It's too late for me to do anything to change my mark. Art, however is still to happen. I have less than a week in fact. After that, then I'm free for about two weeks. Then it's my French listening test.

Geo was spent looking back over the work which we did when Service was away. We also then had to do a test. Physics was pretty much bog standard. English was revising poems from other cultures and then to my absolute surprise/amazement we had a section of silent revision while listening to music. WTF? Listening to music in English. I have to sit down for a bit. Maths was doing some graphical work. Drama was spent talking about what to put in our exam, the actual written one. In fact my last exam...

The Scripted Drama Exam.

So after several months of preparation today we finally got to perform Hymns. It's a good and a bad thing. No more having to run over the same pages again, but it also means that we are being marked on today's performance.

We were to perform second, in front of the invigilator. This was very good for our group, as Scammell was choosing the best two groups to perform for her, us and Jamie's group. They went first and then it was us. I dunno why, but I honestly wasn't thrilled with my performance. The Christmas one, I was really pleased with my performance, but this one - well I wasn't happy.

It could have been because we have rehearsed this one so much, that I'm just bored with it. Well after our one we went through the other groups and at least the pressure was off. Both Drama exams finished, now, just the written exam...

Drama, Take One!

Before school I handed in my monumental 73 page, 17,000 word Techtronics c/w. I have to admit that I am really amazed that I ever got it done - the breadboarding was finished the day before the deadline, the prototype product was finished just before the deadline and the writeup was finished just before the deadline. In the sixth form (I will hopefully get back in) I will have to learn to stop leaving things to the last minute.

Art was spent, for me, researching the life of Van Gogh. It was actually really interesting doing this, as he had quite a troubled life. English seemed rather pointless. Granted it was a useful revision exercise, but we were told to copy out all of the chapter titles onto a page and then we had to write what was in them. By the end I had learnt a bit more about the book and had gained a bloody sore hand. French was mainly a listening test. Yawn.

RE was getting our tests back and making a revision sheet. We're with Bishop now, so on the home run to the RE exam, and all the exams in fact. Bio was watching this seriously funny video about nitrogen. I say funny, but nitrogen is not funny. It was the man narrating and 'acting' who was really funny. I swear old men like him don't exist in the real world. Chem was doing a practice paper, but I left early cos Byfield let Drama people go early (although we didn't really need to).

We, unfortunately were the last group to perform which meant watching all of the other groups and hanging around until 6pm. In a way it was good, because no one got to see how bad our group was. Scammell cut in saying our piece was too long and also that we still needed to learn some lines. He only cut in because Tom forgot his lines, I really hope he doesn't tomorrow...

The Last Day Of Tech C/W, Ever.

I actually got up really early, picked up my laptop and went back to bed to do some (aka. all) of my Tech c/w. These are the times that I am glad that I have a laptop. I spent pretty much all day doing it. Finally around 6pm I had finished it. I had finally finished my Tech c/w. This thing that had been over me since, well, for over a year was now done. This monmental piece was 73 pages long and 16,704 words long. This is longer than my Geo c/w, and that was, well, memorable...

Charging Electrons.

Assembly was rather poor, as there wasn't a hymn. There wasn't a hymn because Sparrow has since retired and no one it seems can master the organ, Oh well, no great loss then. Maths was doing another paper. French was supposed to be a cover, but wasn't. We spent almost all of the lesson preparing for a writing test, and then had to rush a test in at the end. Tech was a cover, and I didn't get much done at all.

Physics was funny. Birke doesn't really seem to have much control over the class. He also saw someone who should have handed some c/w into him, but didn't and did, what can only be described as, launching himself out of the window. Spraggo also said something which was more like a physics innuendo saying, "Does she charge your electrons sir?" I was surprised Birke man didn't explode or anything. Chem was doing some more work on purifying metals. There was also some dodgy experiment which didn't work the first time, but then suddenly pretty much exploded when Byfield was standing over it...

Connexions Form.

Tech was a cover and was in the comp room doing c/w. Geo was also a cover, and we finally began farming (which I think is the final topic). Drama was running through the play. PSE was having to fill out some damn connexions form. Bio was spending time looking at the carbon cycle, and then the nitrogen cycle despite the fact that we have already done it in Chem...

Real, Final, Actual GCSE French Oral.

I had my real, final, actual GCSE French oral first thing. Well ok, not first thing, but at 9.20. It was actually better than I thought it would be - the role play and picture story that is, and I had Fred to accompany me in the DoE room. However when I actually had my oral I think that I messed up some of the questions. All in all I think that I will simply quote Scammell, "Are you ever going to speak French in later life?"

Geography was a cover, I went in late and didn't do much. Physics was funny, mainly because of the usual lack of control Birke has over the class. I don't think having a boring topic such as radiation helps either, when we can't actually do anything 'fun' - like experiments. English was doing some R+J revision. Maths was marking the tests and filling out our declaration forms. Drama was practising our play (which to be honest we really need to do). We also practised after school until six, yes I know but still I do think it was worth it. I'm more confident as we had some good run through with everyone knowing pretty much all of their lines. I was really surprised that I remembered all of my lines, apart from the three bits towards the end which I sort of know. Roll on Tuesday (or as it now seems Monday), or on second thoughts don't...

Some Serious Pressure.

I realised today that the next few weeks are really bad for me. I mean, just look at this:

• One day until the French oral (and this is the actual French oral, the real thing).
• One week until the Drama exam.
• Two weeks until the Art exam.

I need to really revise for my oral, because I decided to begin preparations one week beforehand and like didn't. Well in all fairness I have done a bit, but not as much as I would have liked to have. My Drama group are really not ready at all for the exam. We even went into school today and spent a good three hours rehearsing. I also still need to do lots of Art prep. I think I've done all of my Art c/w now. I keep flipping through my sketchbook and keep finding things which I can add to. Anyway, I really need to prepare for the oral tomorrow...

One Life, With Each Other.

I got up pretty early today so that I could get some serious Art work done. I still need to complete some c/w and loads of exam prep. I spent all morning and afternoon doing damn Art. Fortunately I have completed all of my other stuff, or I would literally be in trouble. Now it's just a case of doing little bits here and there to properly finish my c/w off.

Also today it has been found that the U2 song One has been voted as having the best lyrics with, "One life, with each other, sisters, brothers." I've always thought, "Did I disappoint you? Or leave a bad taste in your mouth?" were the best lines. But what do I know? I've only got a French oral in two days, a Drama exam in a week and tons of Art to do...

Easter!

Wooooo!!! It's Easter!!! I dunno why but when someone mentions it's Easter, it isn't all that good. I think it's overshadowed by like better holidays such as Christmas. You see at Christmas you get fat and get loads of presents, whereas at Easter you just get fat. On the upside you do get fat by gorging yourself on chocolate. Hmmmmm. Chocolate.

I'll tell you one thing that really annoys me, and that is Easter related. The religious aspect of it. I mean you can go to church at any other time of the year (apart from maybe Christmas) and there is loads of free space, in fact I could probably bring a sleeping bag and sleep through the mass. But no. Not at Easter. The church is packed with people that only ever turn up once a year and think they're God's gift. I should calm down, I have Art to be doing...

Busy, Busy, Busy.

I planned to wake up early do loads of h/w, then go and so my service at Farleigh and come back home and do some Art. No surprises, but I didn't. In fact I woke up, seemed to lose a couple of hours doing nothing and then went to Farleigh. It was really busy there today, and fortunately and unfortunately there was loads of stuff to sort through. It's good because it means more money for Farleigh, but it also means more work for me.

It was really annoying because someone had dropped of loads of children's puzzles, which meant that I had to count out all of the pieces. It's not as bad as it seems until you come to a puzzle which doesn't have a piece number on the box. I worked out how many pieces there were meant to be in the end, and to be really annoying a piece was missing - so I had to bin the puzzle. A complete waste of time then.

It could have been worse though I guess. I also got a badge to wear when I'm in the shop so that people know (and to quote), "You are one of us." One of what? The mafia??? I think that I'm now an official volunteer...

Good Easter, Bad Easter, High Easter, Low Easter.

Here's my version of the second day of the second expedition:

• I awoke to a variety of sounds: rain, nature and Worthy trying to pack up his tent with Shifty still inside it. When I finally got up I packed up my stuff and then we cooked breakfast. Hmmmm, Ready Brek and jam - or what was left of the jam after Sawood got 'hungry'.
• We were the first group 'out' after we stuck to our plan wake up time and after Worthy was hovering about pointing at his watch and saying, "Ten minutes, then we're off!"
  In fact we would have left on time until Colin (soon to be renamed 'Colin the Cock') turned up. Worrall had gone off on holiday, so we were stuck with Colin.
• At first it seemed to be a joke, but the route had us going through a field with horses. It wouldn't have seemed that bad if they hadn't of started charging about. At one point this horse bolted down to the furthest end of the field and then Sawood and I got the impression that it was coming our way and then we just ran. Lol. To make matters worse Colin was at the end of the field and told us we were walking down the wrong bit of the damn field. We were meant to walk down the middle! Yeah right, like he'd do that with horses flying about everywhere!!!
• Worthy leading us down a long path which seemed to lead to no where, only to want to turn back to 'get to the footpath'. The group census was to scrap his plan and to just cross the farmer's field.
• Finding out that one of the St John's people had stabbed themselves. Apparently they thought it would be a good idea to have their penknifes out and scare some cows. Unfortunately they did not think what to do if the cows charged at them, so one of them tripped up and stabbed themselves. Idiot.
• 'Colin the cock' giving us a debriefing and not seeing that we couldn't care less and were freezing cold.

Well that was it. The second expedition, role on the third...

Hatfield Heath.

Today there was the second DoE practise expedition (although in reality it's actually basically a Bronze expedition). Rather than talking about every single moment, here are the highlights:

• Worrall putting our phones in little sandwich bags and then taping them up. However I could actually still use mine, cos it isn't some stupid clam shell or flip thing.
• Beginning the walk in Hatfield Heath - aka. Cook Country. We did debate whether to try and find him and poke fun about the fact that he had given up on the Award. We didn't, and promptly began the walk.
• Not long after we came across a seriously big ass fire. Think about the biggest fire possible, then make it bigger. It was insanely big, and the people had to use some JCB to actually get stuff onto it.
• Lunch was in someone's front lawn. We found this house with really well kept lawns and decided to have lunch on a tree trunk in the garden. It was a really weird place because there were cameras everywhere. Lunch was pitta bread (oh no!), processed cheese (yum!) and sausages (not bad).
• The moat (ie. the purpose of the first days walking) was poor, very poor. We couldn't even get to it as it was in someones garden and it was rubbish. It was barely a dip in the ground with some water.
• We came across a man (presumably a farmer) with a shotgun who told us we were on his land, then when he saw the map he shuted up.
• A long discussion about wetting the bed, then wet dreams and finally leading onto 'Bashing the Bishop'. Talking about it mind, don't think we were walking around the Essex countryside doing it. That's just plain wrong!!!
• Finally getting to Skreens Park, putting up the tents, cooking dinner (which was actually nice). Sawood then threw the remains of the pasta over our tent, making it look dangerously like vomit.

Well that was it really on the first day. Oh yes, on my way back from the toilet block I was at the bottom of a bundle with half the camp site on top of me. I swear I broke something then...

Hell Must Have Frozen Over...

Hell must have frozen over. Apple has made a program which allows people install Win XP on their Intel Macs. For those of you that don't have clue what I'm going on about, this is pretty amazing as people never expected Apple to ever allow Win XP to be put on a Mac dual booting, ever.

Today I went to go and get a new sleeping bag, as I decided that my present one was not thick enough. I was really lucky, because I forgot the card we were given which gives us 10% off at Blacks, but the lady had seen me there before so I got it anyway. How nice!!! I must go there again...

LED Headlamp.

I didn't do much today. My LED headlamp came though, from Hong Kong. I'm pretty amazed by it because it was only £7 and yet is really, really bright. It does have twenty five LEDs so if it isn't bright there is definitely something wrong...

Zen Micro Photo.

I spent most of my day rather annoyed as my Dad came back from America with a Zen Micro Photo. Why should I be annoyed? It wasn't for me. It only happens to be almost twice as big as my Micro, have a longer battery life, an amazing screen and is smaller in size. I did acquire another 1GB memory stick though, as the USB one is going in the PDA and this new non USB one will go in my camera. I decided it wasn't worth the extra money for a USB one as I have a card reader on my laptop. I really should start some revision and Art prep...

Hoppípolla.

I carried on with my DoE service today. Three and a half hours isn't as bad as it seems; it goes really, really quickly. Although saying that spending a good twenty minutes looking for a card themed on 'Sympathy' is not very good. Lol. I spent bloody ages trying to restock the damn card spiny thing...