English Literature, Language and History A-Levels- here I come!

I know that I am definitely going to be studying English Literature, English Language and History when I arrive at college on Monday. Even though I know that it is going to be really hard work, I am looking forword to it!

I'm not quite sure exactly what we will be studying, except that I think it will be poetry, a novel and a play for English Lit. and the 20th Century for History.

My personal goals for the end of September to the 31st October are:

• Catch up on all missed work (I'm three weeks behind!)
• Find out when any assignments are due in and if necessary, negotiate at new date with the lecturer.
• Buy or borrow any books for the course.
• Revise the Maths handouts and practice them.

Yesterday my Mum and I visited Bristol's City Museum. I love the gypsy caravan as it is just so beautiful. It is amazing how anyone could live in such a small space. I would love to know how they did it! Also there was an exhibition on Eastern art and ceramics and porcelain. There were two small bowls. They were white with hidden dragons on them. I think that I saw them on the side...well, there was something on the side! I think that the dragons had to be hidden because only the Emperor and his family were allowed them.

When I arrived home I decided to research:

• Karl Marx
• Alexander the Great
• Hamlet

When I have more time, I'll try and post the snippets of information that I found.

A sudden change of direction!

I suddenly realised as I was sitting in one of my lessons this morning, that the Children's Care, Learning and Development, National Diploma course was definitely not for me. Don't get me wrong, making play dough is fun but I felt that I wasn't being challenge as much as I had wanted. Of course I fully understand that it is very important work, and the responsibility of caring for children is awesome but I realised that my interests lay elsewhere.

I didn't know where I was going with it and I probably still don't. I had been praying the Rosary on the way to college this morning, asking for help about this decision. I certainly couldn't make up my mind by myself (I am not very good at making 'executive decisions'!) Now to be completely honest I find the Rosary hard to say. It seems so long and I am lazy. Given the chance I could probably think of many excuses for not saying it. However, I know that as a Catholic I really should try harder. Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati would have said the Rosary, so I must! Unfortunately, my efforts were far from perfect - I almost fell asleep on the way to college (getting up early is not my speciality). It was a miracle I didn't drop my beads and my prayer book in the process!

Oh dear, I seem to be wandering of the main topic! So, as I was sitting at the desk prodding a green lump of dough, the thought of moving courses kept prodding my mind. Each time more forcefully. By the end of lunch I had spoken to my Tutor, who was very helpful and encouraging! She recommended that I go and speak to someone, which I did and then on my way home I discovered that I had been excepted on the English and History A- Level courses. Personally, that proves to me the power of prayer!

Perhaps God is trying to tell me something...

Patron Saints of my blog...so far

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. Wenceslas(work in progress)

Who was Pier Giorgio Frassati?

Pier Giorgio Frassati was a rich, handsome, athletic young man from an aristocratic Italian family. At a young age he began to develop a deep spiritual life. When Pier Giorgio's parents discouraged his religious involvement he began to secretly minister to the poor. He died of polio at age 24. He has been described by our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, as "a man of the eight beatitudes, a modern youth and a great mountaineer who was keenly interested in the problems of culture, sports, and social questions, as well as the true values of life." - http://www.frassatiusa.org/

Remembering the Summer - 2009

On a cold day such as today, my thoughts drift back to the long summer days.

1. My only surviving sunflower. I planted 7 but unfortunately three were eaten by the slugs and the other three, I accidentally tied them with string. The string acted like a knife and just sliced them off when it was windy. So, next year I will plant them out the front of the house where it is far more sheltered. Hopefully we will be able to eat the seeds. Hey, it's a free healthy snack!
2. Visiting a graveyard on a hot sunny afternoon. It was one of the most beautiful places that I had seen for a while. It was so quiet and spending the afternoon sitting on a bench in the shade of a large oak tree, was glorious! This is also home to a location in one of my stories.
3. Berkley Castle. We went to see the Berkley Skirmish. It was very wet but it was also great fun. This picture was taken on one of those rare moments when the sun came out. Although it was a bit far away, watching the joust from the castle grounds as it was pouring, was quite an experience.

First day at college

Today was the first full day at college and although we were given handouts about our course assignments (and their deadlines), it was very enjoyable. The reality of coursework is back and here to stay for two years. Actually, the projects seem to be really in depth and interesting. Fortunately, everyone in my group is very friendly and our lecturers are so kind, funny and helpful

I think that the college library is lovely. It is so nice to be surrounded by books and spend lunchtime at a desk in the corner of the room. The library is long, lit by artificial lights and of course head-high bookshelves. The choice of books is very varied. The only problem is that 45 minutes break, is not long enough.

I am looking forward to the rest of our lessons.

Helpful Maths

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGASAr8NUHo

This is really helpful and so easy to understand!

Negative Numbers- GCSE Maths Revision

I think that I have finally overcome my mental block about this particular problem. It came to me as I was waiting for the bus this morning. Looking at my index card, I can't believe that I never noticed it before.

To find the difference between two numbers:

• If the signs are the same, subtract the numbers.


• If the signs are different, add the numbers.

or

SAME = SUBTRACT ...................... DIFFERENT = ADD

I never noticed the matching letters before!

Memorable Quotes

Prince Caspain (C.S. Lewis)

“I was wishing that I came of a more honourable lineage.” “You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve,” said Aslan. “And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth. Be content.”

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)

"It means that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still that she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of Time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and darkness before Time began, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and death itself would work backwards."

The Last Battle (C.S. Lewis)

"The dream is ended: this is the morning."And as He spoke He longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."

The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R Tolkien)

"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I,' said Gandalf, 'and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

Only the beginning of the adventure

The aim of this blog is to show people that just because you are doing a course that is considered far from "intellectual", and a course that people chose because there is nothing else, does not make the individual stupid. It is what you do with the course that will change others opinion and how they view you.

I am tired of always being the one who only got "decent" grades. Yes! I like my friends dearly but I was always jealous when thet regularly were presented with awards at school. I did try hard in some subjects in order to at least get one award but I never did. My friends definitley deserved them but since Secondary School, the feeling of hurt would creep up on me every so often.

Everywhere I turned, all I could hear was the singing of praises of the people that I knew, especially during the last month or so when the GCSE results were published. A* were everywhere and that was when I decided that I loathed being the one who was ok. From that day I swore that one day my praise would be sung within the family.

And so begins my adventure...