OK, an update on the last week or so...

Well, exams finished last Wednesday. History could have gone better, but it didn't go horrendously - I just don't want to have to think about exams again til August. But I think they've all gone OK, really. If they haven't, I'll deal with that when the results come out.

Thursday was fun - Ellie and I got the train to Nottingham and did some nice post-exam shopping. I got a nice dress from Primark for £6 (in the kids' section, I might add) along with a new bird necklace from Topshop, and a bra and some flip-flops with cherries on them, also from Primark. Many insane photos were taken and broadcasted on Facebook, but unfortunately we did not manage to dodge the ticket people on the tram back to the station.

Friday was rather nice too - spent the afternoon in Loughborough with Chris, after we hadn't seen each other for about a week and a half, so it was really nice to see him again. We went to all our usual haunts - Queens, Left-Legged Pineapple, the Works to laugh at all the terrible low-priced books...it was a really nice afternoon.

Saturday night was the post-exams Megazone lock-in for most of our form, Chris, Pete, some of the Sylph people and various Latin people. I met Chris at seven and we went to the Noodle Bar, wandered around Leicester and sat in the town hall square for a bit before Megazone, which was really nice - the town hall square is really nice. Queens should have a fountain like that.

Then we headed off to Megazone, which was insanely fun. I managed to come last in two games - quite an achievement, really. I followed Emily and James around at first, seeing as we were all equally bad, but for the last game I got too tired to run, so I just stood in a corner with Chris and fired at passers-by. After Megazone, Emily and I went back to Ellie's. We all stayed up talking for ages, and somehow ended up agreeing to stay up all night. We managed until about 5am, after which a picnic involving chocolate and celery had been staged on Ellie's kitchen floor, but then we all got too tired and went to sleep. My dad turned up at nine to pick us up, which was absolute hell on earth. I still don't think I've quite caught up on my sleep deprive.

Anyway...there was family stuff on Sunday, and yesterday I was back at school. I'm too tired for school. The A2 courses all look huge. Yesterday was hellish, although I did see Chris at lunchtime, which was very nice :) I've got university open days lined up. I don't want to go to school, or think about the future - I'm happy now, I just want to enjoy it while it lasts.

[mood| tired]
[music|The Cure - Friday I'm In Love ]

Tags: a2, change, chris, ellie, emily, exams, leicester, loughborough, megazone, nottingham, school, shopping, stress
Current Location: home

OK, so my last exam is in about two hours. Three history papers. I think I'm pretty much all set on what I need to know, I just need to go over all the dates again. I was really panicking about it last night - rang Jenny and gibbered about how I was going to fail, but she dictated most of her essay plans to me over the phone, which actually helped a lot. Then I woke up at 3am and started panicking again, managed to get back to sleep, but woke up again at 5am with period pain. Couldn't get back to sleep, so went over absolutism again while downing nurofen. Anyway, I think I've got it now, and that's what matters.

I hope to hell I get a question on the Henrician reformation, and one on Francis I being an absolute monarch. I would literally cry with relief if that was the case. But there's a voice in my head going "all the other exams have gone so well, this one has got to go wrong..." Gah. I need to stop worrying.

Music went fairly well on Monday - I got asked about Haydn, which was an absolute blessing, and I didn't know enough about the jazz piece but they gave us a recording for that, so I was able to answer all the questions OK. The exam itself was forty-five minutes late starting due to numerous cock-ups on behalf of PJ and the exam board, and because it took so long to get all the computers going. Class Civ yesterday was absolutely great, couldn't have gone better.

My parents have gone off to Barcelona for two days for their twentieth wedding anniversary, so my sister and I are pretty much home alone for the next two days. I've been given twenty quid to live off, so I'll be able to go on the Nottingham trek tomorrow with Ellie. I need to shop - exams make me feel worried and stressed all the time, and I hate that. Shopping usually helps me to de-stress.

[mood| worried]
[music|Kasabian - Shoot The Runner ]

Tags: class civ, exams, history, music, nottingham, parents, revision, shopping, stress
Current Location: home

Wednesday cannot come too soon for me. I want my life back.

In a way, Friday was better than today because I was all panicky about revision, and learning stuff right and left. Now I'm just...tired. Can't focus, been trying to memorise jazz all day, and I've just about learnt the Miles Davis, but the rest is not good. The orchestral stuff is pretty much learnt, but I'm praying for a Haydn question - I will actually cry with relief if I get one. Music revision is stressful.

In other news, the family are driving me up the wall. My sister's being an absolute bitch, hogging the computer for MSN when I need to use the listening programme, my brother's just annoying, and the parents won't stop questioning/criticising me about the exams. Can't wait til this is all over. I'm sick of it all.

The good news is that I got my hair cut yesterday, and it looks a lot better now. I think I'm past revising jazz now...I just want a long meaningless chat on MSN with someone, anyone really...but hardly anyone's there. Damn.

[mood| tired]
[music|Miles Davis - So What ]

Tags: exams, family, haircut, music, revision, stress
Current Location: home

OK...I know I haven't updated in over week. I am a very bad person, but I do have some excuses - the computer died for the first few days, then I was in Devon until Tuesday, and then I've just been stupidly busy with revision and stuff. Yes, I am revising. You can pick yourself up off the floor now, people from school.

So...last Friday was English exam. It actually went pretty well - I think not doing any essays for two weeks beforehand helped to clear my head and I think I wrote pretty concisely...anyway, thank God that's over. Boston drop-kicked her copy of All My Sons down the stairs as we left the exam room - I admire that. Anyway, after the exam, Ellie, Boston and I met Chris and Pete and had a picnic in Queens. There were photos, but my computer is being difficult and takes forever to upload things, so they're on Ellie's journal if anyone wants to see them.

Devon was not that fun - I spent most of the time sitting in the house revising music symphonies and jazz. I was actually depending on my phone a lot of the time, texting pretty much non-stop, so when the battery ran down I was practically climbing the walls, as you can imagine. Anyway, I'm home now and that's what matters.

I spent the day in Loughborough with Chris, which was really really nice. We had lunch in Queens and then went to see POTC, which was certainly...interesting. Although the first scene didn't seem to have any point whatsoever - I was expecting an explanation for the random singing later on in the film, but I didn't get one. Also, when the "nine pieces of eight" were mentioned, Chris and I burst out laughing and got shushed by everyone in the cinema. Sorry, but a little contradictory, don't you think?

Anyway, I'm not seeing Chris again til next Friday, which is not going to be fun, but I really can't afford not to revise any more. I've got Music: Introduction to Historical Study on Monday, when I really don't know the jazz that well and the context questions are just baffling me, so Emily's coming round later after I get my hair cut so we can test each other. Apparently she hasn't even started revising, but she always makes very extensive notes, so I'm thinking I'll probably have a look through those.

Class Civ Epic and Tragedy on Tuesday, which I'm fairly confident about, and then the three History papers on Wednesday. I spent all of yesterday revising English Church and State, and I pretty much get all the Henry stuff, but Edward and Mary are still...well, it's not sinking in properly. Plus I've still got Francis I and Luther to do...please kill me.

Stuff to look forward to: end of exams. There is talk of a post-exams shopping trip to Nottingham, which I will enjoy very much if I happen to miraculously find some money. Then I'm seeing Chris on Friday, and then the Megazone lock-in on Saturday night, which should be really good. Oh, and there's the London trip too, possibly involving Gay Pride, and various university open days which I am rather looking forward to.

Right. Back to History.

[mood| busy]
[music|Dixie Chicks - Not Ready To Make Nice ]

Tags: chris, cinema, class civ, devon, english, exams, history, music, picnic, potc, queens, revision
Current Location: home

Haven't posted for a few days...I'll try and do a decent update for once.

Same routine as usual today...revised Music all morning, met Chris at lunchtime, had a very nice time looking through the CDs in the Left-Legged Pineapple and sitting in the park. We also ran into Matt, Forsyth, Morley and that lot, which was certainly...interesting. As their friend Adz said, "Emma probably thinks we're all insane now." I'd already thought that long before today...also had a nice conversation with George on the bus into Loughborough, haven't talked to him properly in ages.

Anyway, things are going pretty well with Chris, but we probably won't be able to see as much of each other now exams have started, since he lives too far away and we probably should do some revision if we want to pass any exams. So now I am fully focused on exams. Seriously. I am an upstanding member of the community from now on.

So, the next exam is Friday...English. I will die. My Chaucer essays are fine, but I'm still getting Cs and Ds for the Arthur Miller play essays. I'm not expecting an A, but I got a B for my January module and an A for my coursework, so I'm hoping for a B, if I do a really good Chaucer essay.

Gah...enough exam talk. Unfortunately there's very little else going on in my life right now. Well, my parents want me to get a summer job. My mum suggested the Wymeswold fruit farm. Which pays three quid an hour. My dad said I could go to the pub. I said that sounded good. It was only when he started talking about minimum wages that I realised..."oh, you mean WORK there..." Typical me.

[mood| bored]
[music|Haydn - Concerto In E Flat (oh wonderful music revision...) ]

Tags: chris, english, exams, george, music, queens, revision, summer job
Current Location: home

God, I am so bored...I've done some decent history revision, and I tried to listen to the music symphonies on Naxos, but the bloody thing won't load...

I feel a meme is in order, just to pass the time.

( 21 Questions )

[mood| bored]
[music|Porcelain and the Tramps - King Of The World ]

Tags: bored, meme, revision
Current Location: home

Had the long-awaited pots exam yesterday...it went amazingly well, I honestly could have cried with relief when we were asked about the Kleophrades hydria. There was a bit of a tricky question about Trojan war themes, in which I rambled on a bit about the friendship between Ajax and Achilles, but the essay was excellent, I mentioned loads of the textbook pots, complete with dates, so...to conclude, I think it went really well :D

Today, I made the most of my post-exam status by spending the afternoon with Chris in Loughborough, which was rather nice. Although my mother is rather hacked off because of this and is now saying that I can't leave the house again during study leave...how nice of her.

Right,I need my bed. Yes, I know it's only half nine, but I'm tired.

[mood| calm]
[music|Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way ]

Tags: chris, class civ, exam, mum, pots
Current Location: home

This brings back fond memories:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZT6ioABaCQ&mode=related&search=

I now officially know all the Woodford pots. The film strip is being a little more difficult, possibly because the information and the pictures are not together, and also because it involves learning the names of a lot of painters I've never heard of until now. Despite this, I actually feel pretty well-prepared for the exam tomorrow.

Also, met Chris during his lunchtime today, which was rather nice. We went and sat in the park for a while, and I managed to climb all the way across on the monkey bars, which has been an ambition of mine for a while now. It was really nice - I actually feel calm when I'm with him, which is something of a rarity nowadays. Plus he gives excellent hugs. I'm seeing him again on Wednesday - this time we'll have the whole afternoon because he has study leave then.

*daydreams happily* *remembers pot exam* *curses*

[mood| happy]
[music|U2 - City Of Blinding Lights ]

Tags: chris, class civ, exam, happy, hugs, memories, park, pots
Current Location: home

Three days til the Art and Architecture exam. As predicted, I am starting to panic about all the pots I'm supposed to have learnt.

Inspection Day this morning, which was really interesting, as usual...not. I overslept and missed my lift with Emily, so I had to beg my dad to drive me into school, which he was not pleased about. I foolishly left my jacket inside when we started playing, and was absolutely freezing cold. Fortunately it didn't rain this year, but the wind started blowing everyone's music all over the place while we were playing. So, not much fun. Although a random duck from the park did wander across the quad while they were inspecting the ranks, which was fairly amusing. Also, as usual, Mr Lax chose completely inappropriate music for a formal CCF march, but apparently it went down quite well with the spectators, despite including various Disney songs.

Study leave began today, so no more school for a month. I feel marginally more confident about exams this year, now I've ditched all the horrible maths and sciences. James made us all a "Good Luck" cake in Class Civ the other day, which was rather sweet of him - I took photos, which I may put on here at some point.

Aside from the hellish amount of work, not a lot going on...I've been seeing Chris a lot this week, we went for a picnic in Queens yesterday with Ellie and Pete, but the picnic ended up consisting of four lollipops, and I think Ellie and Pete got a bit pissed off with us for kissing in front of them and ditching them in the park so we could go on a spur-of-the-moment trip to the Left-Legged Pineapple. I feel rather bad about that now, so for that I apologise, Ellie. Anyway, so things with Chris are rather nice right now - I'm seeing him on Monday during his lunch break, since the boys don't go on study leave til next week.

Right...I feel some pots revision may be in order.

[mood| exhausted]
[music|Concert band music ]

Tags: chris, ellie, exams, inspection day, music, picnic, pots, queens, revision, study leave
Current Location: home

God, what a nightmarish weekend...barely left the house, except to go up to Sheffield yesterday for my grandad's birthday, which basically consisted of fifty mad/drunk people crammed into a bungalow. One of my uncles brought a guitar. There was singing. Very bad singing. God it was horrible.

Oh, and my dad got stabbed. In the foot. No one seems to know who was responsible, but it was probably one of my smaller cousins, several of which were lining the floor at the time. My mum, who's a nurse, patched it up with sterile strips. Fortunately he didn't have to go to hospital, but even if he had needed to go he wouldn't have been able to, since everyone else was too pissed to drive him there. For one horrible moment we thought we might have to stay the night there due to my dad's foot-wound, but fortunately he managed to get us home, driving very slowly so we didn't get to bed til half two.

I was going to meet up with Chris today, but now I'm not, which is rather unfortunate, but I think I'm seeing him tomorrow lunchtime, so it's all good. The park would probably have been a bad idea today, seeing as it's currently starting to rain. So I've been doing Henry revision and having a huge clear-out in my room. How fun.

[mood| annoyed]
[music|Placebo - Nancy Boy ]

Tags: chris, dad, drunk, injury, insane, sheffield, stabbed, tidying
Current Location: home

Gah, I hate parents. Just because they have problems with my idiot of a sister, they take it out on me. I hate arguments, they make me feel all anxious. So I went to my room and read the Manchester prospectus from cover to cover. When I finally go downstairs again, the parents have done a disappearing act and left us to our own devices. What great parenting.

I hope they won't ground me again. Aside from the fact that I'm hoping to see Chris tomorrow, I don't like being in the doghouse. And strictly speaking, I didn't do anything wrong, except not tell them about the universities meeting at school on Thursday, which both of them are extremely hacked off about. I had hoped to get away with it, until Ellie's mum accidentally brought it up yesterday while talking to my mum. They basically told me I don't have the right to make decisions regarding my own future. They're such control freaks.

Not a lot else going on...we're supposed to be going up to Sheffield later for my grandad's birthday, and we were supposed to be going to Nottingham as well, but apparently that's out the window now, unfortunately. I really wanted to go to Nottingham, I need to get out of this house. Why are there no buses on Sundays??

[mood| angry]
[music|Placebo - 36 Degrees ]

Tags: argument, parents, stupidity
Current Location: my so-called home

Had a rather nice time yesterday evening...had fun with Chris searching for CDs in the Left-Legged Pineapple, followed by snogging in the park, going to the Noodle Bar and then more snogging by the astroturf. Mr Mitchell saw us. He is likely to comment on this in next week's lesson. I may have to be ill on that day.

Anyway, it was really rather nice. He was being really sweet, trying to keep me warm in the park and stopping occasionally to hug me, which was nice. After all that, we went to see the Theatre Studies productions at the Grammar - the A2 ones successfully creeped me out, but were really rather good. I loved the AS one - Hannah and Adam were both really good, and James was hilarious. I felt a bit bad because Ellie was sitting with me and Chris and apparently felt like a bit of a third wheel...I would apologise for that, but seeing as she put hideous photos of me in my pyjamas on Facebook this morning, I won't.

The sleepover at Ellie's was also rather amusing...we watched bits of The Mighty Boosh Live and The Blues Brothers, and engaged in pointless chatter (most of it boy-related). We ended up making sandwiches at three in the morning and sitting on the kitchen floor to eat them, which was certainly amusing...at least, until I saw the absolutely hideous photos of it on Facebook this morning and realised what I'd let myself in for.

Right...I am absolutely shattered. I want to go to bed, but my mother won't let me...how unfair.

[mood| chipper]
[music|Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way ]

Tags: chris, ellie, mr mitchell, park, plays, sleepover, snogging
Current Location: home

OK, I will actually make an effort to update properly about stuff that's going on at the moment:

1. Have an absolutely ridiculous amount of work to do. I've had at least two timed questions every day this week, and two mocks. Oddly enough, I seem to be doing fairly well in them...I got an A for one of my English mocks, which was quite unnerving. I'm hoping this means my essay skills are improving. About bloody time too, when I've got exams in less than a month.

2. Ohmydearlord, talking of exams, I have less than two weeks until the Art and Architecture exam. I have seventy pots to learn. It won't happen. But I have to try...at least I've got study leave soon.

3. Despite the sodding workload, school is actually quite fun at the moment. Our Class Civ lesson today was particularly amusing, despite the fact that we had to do yet another essay. Ed called me stupid after we managed to mix up the past paper folders. The bastard... but then George pointed out that "Emma's the most intelligent one out of all of us", which made me want to hug him, but then Adam added "after Ellie, obviously". I gave him a really dirty look, which made him laugh. Gah. My classics skills are so unappreciated.

4. Really nice day lined up tomorrow...meeting Chris after school. We're going to the Noodle Bar and to see the Theatre Studies plays. Then I'm going to Ellie's for an evening of cultured TV viewing (the Mighty Boosh :P) and pointless chatter. It'll be good to see Chris again, I know it's stupid when I only saw him two days ago, but I feel really calm and happy when I'm with him. God, I sound like one of those happy couples *is shocked*

That's pretty much the lot...but right now I am absolutely exhausted. So exhausted, in fact, that I nearly fell asleep on the bus home. So I need to go to bed, and soon.

[mood| exhausted]
[music|The Faders - You Know You Should ]

Tags: amusing, boyfriend, chris, class civ, ellie, exams, sleepover, tired, work
Current Location: home

Had a very nice couple of days.

Had an English mock...and about three timed questions.

Lots of stressful music recording work to be done.

Spending lunchtimes in the park in the sun with Chris does make everything seem so much nicer, though :) Especially if there's snogging involved :D

Oh I love my life right now...

[mood| happy]
[music|A rather nice song I heard on the radio and do not know the name of ]

Tags: chris, happy, mocks, park, snogging, stressful
Current Location: home

Strange happenings over the last couple of days...

Ridiculous amount of work...I can't even begin to count how many tests, mocks, timed questions etc. I've had this week. As a result, I'm feeling pretty tired. But, I got music prefect!! Score me...I get my own badge with my name on it! Always wanted one of those...

People keep asking me about me and Chris and saying "Oh, I saw this coming..." In Ellie's words, it was "pretty fucking obvious". I met up with him yesterday lunchtime and it was a bit awkward at first because we were both a bit shy, but we were sitting on the wall in Queens by the Carillon and he started holding my hand and putting his arm round me, and I felt really calm for the first time this week.

So we just sat there on the wall snuggled up to each other and talking until I realised it was 2:20 and Mrs Burn was going to kill me for being late. He kissed me goodbye at the barrier, but it was pretty quick, plus Matt and Morley were ogling us from by the High School gate, which distracted me a bit, but I'm seeing him again on Monday, which I'm rather looking forward to. I feel really happy, but at the same time it's all kind of new and scary...a really weird feeling, but nice at the same time.

Anyway...tomorrow I am grounded for sneaking out on Monday, for which I have only myself to blame. My parents are going to a wine festival in London, my brother has been packed off to my aunt's house, and I'm apparently covering for my sister (also grounded) while she sneaks out to see the latest boyfriend. History revision may be in order.

[mood| tired]
[music|Dresden Dolls - Half Jack ]

Tags: boyfriend, chris, hugs, mocks, music prefect, stressed
Current Location: home

OK...so the last couple of days have been majorly confusing. I was interrogated yesterday by Afro Jack, about Chris, whom he insisted likes me...anyway, I managed to talk things through with Chris and now I think we're going out :D

I'm seeing him tomorrow lunchtime, and as a result of all this am feeling amazingly happy. So happy, in fact, that I'm not even slightly miffed about having two mocks tomorrow. Though God knows how I'll concentrate during them when I've got the prospect of seeing Chris...

*is very, very happy*

[mood| happy]
[music|Blondie - X Offender ]

Tags: chris, confusing, happy, mocks
Current Location: home

You know when you have one of those really nice days that you know you'll remember for ages and ages? Well, today was one of them.

( Picnic in Queens - LOTS of photos )

[mood| happy]
[music|Romeo and Juliet theme (yes, I watched it this morning, I am sad) ]

Tags: alcohol, amusing, boston, chaos, chris, ellie, pete, picnic, playground, queens, snogging
Current Location: home

Another day spent doing absolutely...nothing.

Actually, that's not true. I figured out how to work the cheese toastie-maker. I went on MSN/facebook/myspace etc, messaged Chris and John Hardie a few times. I played The Sims 2 for about four hours. Quite a productive day, really.

Also, my fellow oboist from concert band, whom I know as Ed but for some reason is referred to by everyone else as "Birdy" (possibly because his last name is Bird), has added me on MSN. How the hell did he get my email address?? I have him added on myspace and facebook, but I'm pretty sure my email isn't on there anywhere...at least, I don't think so.

Anyway, have spent the day in ridiculously happy mood thanks to Chris-messaging :) He suggested a repeat of the music-day picnic in Queens, with a slight alteration as Emily isn't able to come and Ellie is making an appearance as an honorary music student. So far the date is set for next Monday - really looking forward to it :D Chris and I really do seem to get on quite well, it'll be good to see him again. Although Ellie is now trying to be organised by deciding who brings what to the picnic shenanigan - she doesn't seem to understand that it's meant to be disorganised, last time it was a total spur-of-the-moment type thing, when we all went to Somerfield and bought the most random food possible...classic :D

My brother and sister have both left the country - my brother to Portugal, my sister to Iceland. I never thought this would happen. As my dad pointed out, I didn't even try to hide my ecstasy as they went out the door. I'm sorry, but if you'd been living with those two for as long as I have, you'd be grateful for a break too. I might actually be able to use the computer now they're gone, or claim ownership of the remote control.

Right, I have some (crap) photos from the Shed last week. The worst ones are crap simply because they were taken by Ellie, who was rather...animated at the time.

( Photos from the Shed )

[mood| bouncy]
[music|Porcelain and the Tramps - I Feel Perfect ]

Tags: chris, ellie, emily, photos, picnic, queens, siblings, the shed
Current Location: home

I have returned from France. I am sunburnt. Rather badly, too. Therefore I think it would be best if I don't leave the house for a couple of days. In France, people understand about sunburn, but I doubt they would in Loughborough.

Not a lot to say about the week, really. Did a lot of skiing, just about mastered parallel turns and started doing some jumps, but nearly broke my arm on my last run of the holiday by going over a surprisingly large jump and coming down rather painfully on my side. Also had the opportunity to speak French - our ski instructor Christian insisted that I translate for my parents, because apparently I "had to learn" to speak French properly. Aside from the sunburn and the permanently bruised legs, the week was quite fun - well, Tom and I had a huge argument on the slopes on the first day when he kept falling over and chucked some ice at me and we started yelling at each other, but matters were soon resolved, he gave me a hug and I have since started affectionately referring to him as Wanker. Good times.

Absolute shedload of emails waiting for me when I got back, along with a Leeds prospectus and a large package of chorales Mr Mitchell sent me in the post last week. Damn him...clearly he doesn't realise I don't have time to do bloody chorales, what with the five or so essays I still have to do, not to mention all the pots I have to memorise. I hate homework.

Also have photos somewhere of my night out at the Shed last week with Ellie, Emily and various others, which I will stick on here at some point. Most of them are terrible, but they still make me smile. But for now, I have several Easter eggs looking appealingly at me, and I must go and attend to that.

[mood| calm]
[music|Green Day - Boulevard Of Broken Dreams ]

Tags: easter eggs, france, homework, skiing, sunburn, tom
Current Location: home

Haven't got a lot of time to update...I'm going out tonight to the Shed with Ellie and Emily to see Chris' band, Sylph, play live, which I am actually feeling surprisingly nervous about. I blame Ellie and Emily for their worrying about what to wear and so on.

Anyway, after the gig Emily and I'll be staying the night at Ellie's, and tomorrow morning I leave for France with my family. We'll be in Meribel skiing for a week, back on Saturday, so if I don't get another chance to update, from now I am officially on hiatus.

*waves*

[mood| pensive]
[music|Futurama theme ]

Tags: ellie, emily, france, hiatus, skiing, sylph, the shed
Current Location: home