Journal for Researcher202814 Finally made it to new hootoo!
(Oct 23, 2011)
Hello all! With help from Peet and Z via the Gurus forum, I have finally been able to log in! I have been trying all week but for some reason it wasn't working. Not sure if it was my fault or a system error but big  to Peet and Z for sorting it for me!It's a shame to miss out on the first week of the new site, so please update me - what have I missed? Click here to discuss this (6 replies, Latest reply: Oct 24, 2011) Update for Elentari (Jul 28, 2011) Hi folks! I haven't been around much recently, mostly because a lack of enthusiasm to contribute to the site before the move because we don't know how things will change under the new order. I thought it was time for a bit of an update. I've come back from a week in the Algarve (near Albueira) with 8 friends. We hired a villa and spent a lot of time at our pool and a day on the beach. It's not really my kind of holiday but we didn't hire a car (which was a mistake) so it was difficult getting around. We did manage to go to a waterpark and into Albufeira a couple of times, as well as catching a bus to Lagos in the hope of going surfing (we'd been told it was a good spot) only to arrive and find the sea as flat as a millpond. I also ound out on Tuesday that my application for a small internal promotion was successful so I'm pretty chuffed about that! I don't know when I'll start or where I'll be based but it's more interesting work than I'm doing now at any rate. It's also a payrise, although after tax, NI, and increased pension and student loan contributions it will probably be no more than £80 a month extra. Still, I'll take it! What have I missed here? Click here to discuss this (5 replies, Latest reply: Aug 1, 2011) New blog (Jan 3, 2011) Hi folks Since I am looking for a job that will be a bit more creative than my current job, and preferably involves some writing, I thought it would be a good idea to start a blog which I can use as a sort of virtual portfolio. (In addition to my hootoo entries of course!) If anyone is interested, the link is http://jumbledcontentsofmyhead.word...ress.com/2011/01/02/my-bucket-list/ and you can subscribe by RSS or email. Yesterday I blogged about bucket lists - ie. all the things you want to do before you kick the... I'd love to hear about yours, either here or on the blog! Click here to discuss this (2 replies, Latest reply: Jan 6, 2011) 3 Peaks Part Two: Scafell Pike (Oct 8, 2010) As you may remember from my last journal (F104967?thread=7634097) if you need a recap  ) I am trying to complete the 3 Peaks Challenge. Not in 24 hours, because those people are crazy, but within a year.Having climbed Snowdon in July, we set about organising the trip to Scafell Pike. There were several more people interested this time and we had enormous trouble booking a hostel. They either didn't have room for all of us or they were too far away. Eventually we found a farmhouse for rent for the weekend for £330, which split between 6 of us worked out as £55 for two nights. It also meant that we cooked our own food so worked out cheaper than the hostel last time anyway (you can cook at the hostels but we hose not to) and was much nicer! We drove up on the Friday after work. Pete, the driver, didn't have a map or directions so we had no problem getting to the Lake District but once we got there we had a bit of a nightmare trying to find the place! We ended up trying to navigate by GPS on our phones, but there was no data connection in the hills so it wasn't easy! We were driving in the dark down narrow, twisty roads and often came around the corner to find sheep in the road, supremely unbothered by an enormous piece of metal with bright lights bearing down on them, and often unaffected by the horn either. My friend Jim really wanted to come, but he had tickets for a gig in Wolverhampton that night. He decided he would come, but drove up after the gig and so didn't arrive till three in the morning! A vital piece of information was left out of the text message explaining where we'd left the key so he was hunting around the yard in the dark and had to ring three people before he got through and woke someone up. Anyway, the weather on Saturday morning was glorious - bright and sunny and a complete contrast to the Snowdon trip. As we climbed, the view back over Wastwater was superb and we could even make out the Irish Sea and the Isle of Man behind. http://www.flickr.com/photos/elentari86/5029588874/ We climbed up the Mickledore route, which involves some scrambling but when we got to the top of the ridge the view was completely worth it. Absolutely stunning. http://www.flickr.com/photos/elentari86/5028970067/ though it looked even better in real life. It clouded over a bit as we reached the summit (which I was surprised to find was heaving with people) but we still had panoramic views as we ate lunch. On the way down, we passed a long line of fell runners who were RUNNING up and down the mountain. The tallest mountain in England. 978 metres high. We found out later that the record for running up and down again is 49 minutes. The fell runners looked considerably more tired than we felt, which was nice I suppose! On reaching the Farmhouse again, we showered, which is marvellously restorative after a tiring walk, then headed 350 yards up the road to the pub for dinner and some well-earned drinks. Now we just need to plan our Ben Nevis trip for next year! Click here to discuss this (6 replies, Latest reply: Oct 15, 2010) 3 Peaks Part One: Mt Snowdon (Jul 19, 2010) Hi folks A while back, I decided that I wanted to complete the 3 Peaks Challenge. For those of you who don't know what this is, it is to climb the highest mountains in England (Scafell Pike), Wales (Mt Snowdon) and Scotland (Ben Nevis). A few friends were interested so we set about booking a youth hostel. We arrived last Tuesday. The hostel was in a gorgeous spot, right next to a lake and with a mountain backdrop. http://www.flickr.com/photos/elentari86/4799527016/ We'd booked a private room for the three of us rather than sleeping in dorms, and our room was in a converted coachhouse, not the main building. It had 2 bunk beds and a sink. The only downside was that the pillows were very flat and quite uncomfortable, because they'd been lain on so many times there was practically no stuffing left in the middle. Next time I'll do as my friend Chris did and take my own. We headed to the nearest town by village by car to buy food for lunch the next day and to eat dinner. Lunch sorted (after escaping from the shop following a long chat with the friendly, talkative owner  ) we went next door to the pub he recommended.As soon as I saw 'Welsh lamb' on the menu I knew what I was having! Welsh lamb tagine  Back at the hostel, we poured over the map and route directions. There are 6 main paths up Snowdon and we decided to stick with the one nearest the hostel, the Watkin Path, which was supposed to be the most difficult. We wanted a challenge, after all! The next morning, fuelled up on cereal and a cooked breakfast, we set off. The start of the route was three quarters of a mile down the road, which was fine at the start of the walk but not so much on the way back! The weather was extremely poor for much of the walk - heavy cloud, rain, even thunder and lightening and (briefly) hail! The final section of the walk was what we dubbed 'the Mt Doom section', because it looked exactly like the bits in The Lord of the Rings when they climb Mt Doom. It entailed scrambling up a steep section of scree where the path was often unclear - and this in the rain! At one point, the cloud was so heavy I could see no more than about 5 metres on either side of me, so when it then cleared very suddenly to reveal the valley, it was stunning! http://www.flickr.com/photos/elentari86/4798887407 At another point, we took a slight detour for a view of the Snowdon Horseshoe, which we couldn't see from our path. http://www.flickr.com/photos/elentari86/4798884535/ At the top we could see nothing through the cloud, which was disappointing, but following the ritual touching of the trig point marking the summit and obligatory photographs, we headed into the new cafe there for a well-earned hot chocolate and lunch! We decided to head back on one of the other paths before cutting across and joining our original route as we didn't much fancy heading back down the Mt Doom section in heavy rain. Still, the thunder and lightening that greeted us on the other path probably wasn't much better! Arriving back, we were obviously quite tired so stayed in the hostel for food and a welcome drink. Next up - Scafell Pike, probably in September, then Ben Nevis next year. If anyone would like to see more pictures, if you are a facebook friend of mine there is a large album there, otherwise select shots (mostly from the brief intervals of clear weather!) can be found, as ever, on flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/elentari86/. Click here to discuss this (7 replies, Latest reply: Aug 25, 2010) Today's Cooking Challenge (May 2, 2010) I've decided that once a week or so I will challenge myself by attempting to cook something a bit more complicated than my usual. Today's challenge is lasagne, from scratch. Well, I'm going going to make the pasta sheets or kill and grind up the cow... alright, I'm not going to make the cheese or grow the tomatoes either, but you get my point. Wish me luck! Click here to discuss this (7 replies, Latest reply: May 12, 2010) Lake District (Apr 5, 2010) On Saturday I got back from a week long family trip to the Lake District (well, my brother just got a job in London so he couldn't come, which meant it was just me and my parents. That was mostly fine but it was a bit saddening sometimes to see lots of young couple about and think to myself "Well, I'm single and here with my parents! Great!" )Regardless, it was a pretty good trip. We stayed in Ambleside in a place a stone's throw from Lake Windermere. The weather was pretty bad for much of the trip, especially the first half - we even had snow! The snow did make it interesting though by brightening up the brown hills. At the end of the week the weather cleared up a bit and we even got some sun! We managed about four or five short-ish walks (the longest one was about three hours) and had some good food. I enjoyed myself but I think I'd rather go back in late spring when the weather is better and the landscape is greener. We even saw Prince Charles! I hadn't realised but in the serious Lake District floods last year, Lake Windermere had flooded too. HRH had visited at the time and promised to come back to see how they were getting on. Someone told us what day he was coming but we had no idea what time it would be. We were about to head out for the day when we heard music, so we headed down to the waterside and there he was meeting people! It was a bit of a flying visit as he had other places to get to nearby but we followed him along as he met people and headed onto a boat to the next place. At one point everyone following him had stopped and I realised I was two paces ahead of all the other members of the public and the only people between me and Charles were his body guards - so I thought I'd better take a few steps back! Pictures, as ever, on my facebook or www.flickr.com/elentari86 Click here to discuss this (4 replies, Latest reply: Apr 6, 2010) Oxford and London weekend (Mar 22, 2010) On Friday 12th March after w*rk I got the train to Oxford where I met with an old uni friend who's doing a Phd there. We had a bit of a dinner party and played board games. I stayed in one of the college rooms, just a few doors down and opposite the Ashmolean. It had an ensuite but instead of being a seperate room it was essentially placed in one corner. The door to the en-suite had no handle on the outside so it was impossible to close. This wouldn't have been a problem for me except that the light in there was started by a motion detector and didn't go off for at least ten minutes - so I was trying to sleep despite the light I couldn't turn off streaming into the room from the door I couldn't close!  On Saturday morning I eventually found the college hall where I was served a cooked breakfast. Then we had a bit of a tour round the city, including the view from a hill and some gorgeous ice cream. Then it was time to get the train to London. I was due to meet an old school friend at Paddington but issues with the tube meant we rearranged and met at Leicester Square. We picked up cut-price tickets to Stomp then wandered off down Whitehall. We watched the Horseguards going off duty then walked down past the Houses of Parliament, over to the South Side of the river and along South Bank and Embankment past the London Eye. We headed back over the river and walked into Covent Garden, where we had dinner in a little Italian place. Then we headed to the theatre for Stomp. It was in Ambassadors Theatre which is pretty small but is directly opposite the Ivy. (No celeb sitings unfotunately!) I've seen Stomp before but it was years ago. I highly recommend it to anyone. It's incredibly high energy, great fun and is actually quite funny as well. We got out quite early and headed back to her house where I slept on the sofa bed. Sunday morning dawned and I met up with other uni friends at South Kensington tube. There was some debate about whether to go to the Natural History museum or the Science Museum; eventuially the Science Museum won and off we went. Impressive, although a lot of the interactive exhibits were closed. Then we went to one of my friend Michael's favourite places, a little American-style diner called Eds where they do a great deal - burger, chips, onion rings and coleslaw for just under a tenner! Not bad at all, especially at London prices! After that we went to through Green Park up to Buckingham Palace, then through St James' Park to Trafalgar Square. There was some St patricks day event going on so we didn't hang around and trekked off trying to find a recommended coffee shop. We found it but there was no space so we ended up in a Starbucks. A quick drink and it was time to go home - which took nearly four hours thanks to engineering work! I was extremely tired and my bank account took a pounding but it was a fantastic weekend! The rest of my week was extremely busy too but that is too much to relate in one journal - this is a bit epic already! Anyone interested in photos can find them on my Flickr at www.flickr.com/elentari86 Click here to discuss this (11 replies, Latest reply: Apr 5, 2010) Snow (Dec 23, 2009) As I suspect is the case for many of you, the last week or so has been rather snowy. This has caused me to reflect a little on just why it is that snow makes me happy. (Though it can also make me a little sad. I remember the snow in February this year and when I left w*rk at lunchtime, all the students who live in the town had been given the day off and were outside building snowmen and having snowball fights. It was sad because a) I had to go back to work and b) it brought it home that I'm not a student anymore. 1: It brings out the child in everyone, including me - though that's not difficult. 2: I get the train to w*rk and when I get in (assuming my travel has been unaffected, which is usually the case), everyone moans about how difficult their journey was, while mine was fine. 3: Looking up and seeing snowflakes fluttering through the sky as far as the eye can see. 4: Going to bed with no snow and waking up in a winter wonderland. That moment when you open the curtains, expecting the same view as always, and what you get is beautiful, pristine white - there's no feeling like it. 4: Even when I'm walking a path I've personally trod a thousand times or more in a town inhabited for 800 years, every footprint I leave in a pure, untouched expanse of snow makes me feel like an explorer. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my hootoo friends.  Click here to discuss this (12 replies, Latest reply: Jan 6, 2010) Mallorca holiday (Sep 29, 2009) Myself and three friends spent the last week on holiday in Mallorca. It was so good to get away for a while! There's some stunning scenery there and I think we managed a good medium between chilling out (both in our villa's private pool and on the beach - the water was incredibly clear so I went snorkelling which was pretty amazing) and sightseeing. We had a hire car so we travelled around a lot. We went up to the Cap de Formentor, which has fantastic views along the coast. We saw some wonderful caves which have been illuminated and then had some illuminated boats come out over the lake in one of the caverns to play a short classical concert (15 minutes or so). We drove through the mountains and found ourselves on a rally stage. We explored some towns, walked around a castle and a sanctuary. We got rained on at a waterpark until the closed the rides because of lightning fears. On the last day we walked around the capital, Palma (the only city on the island), did a harbour cruise and looked around the cathedral. The light through the stained glass windows was absolutely stunning. I'm used to the UK where the light is rarely strong enough to really show the windows at their best but there it was enthralling. If you're interested, there are some photos on my flickr - www.flick.com/elentari86 Click here to discuss this (9 replies, Latest reply: Dec 11, 2009) Woot Canaw (Jun 19, 2009) I had to go to the dentist today as a few days ago I noticed an odd swelling on the right hand side of my jaw, the size of a small marble, and a flatter but bigger swelling under my nostrils. I've had this before and it's been an infection (though only under the nose, not in my jaw), so I was hoping that's what it was this time. It is. Apparently the jaw swelling is an infection caused by bacteria getting in where my wisdom tooth has been breaking through the gum, and the nose swelling is from where my two front teeth got broken in an unfortunate accident involving me, my friend Kiz and a swinging tennis racket when I was about 14. She tells me the tooth is dead and recommends me to eventually get root canal.  I'm supposed to talk to my usual dentist about it at my check-up in September. The title of this thread comes from this scene in The West Wing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojhg1zTOef8, which was running through my head the entire time. Does anyone know enough about dentists to know why my dentist was called "Dr XXXX"? She seemed too young to have done a dentistry degree and a PhD or a medical degree then converted.  Click here to discuss this (9 replies, Latest reply: Oct 4, 2009) A quick explanation (Nov 12, 2008) Hi all, You may (orm may not ) have noticed I've been largely absent from the site for the last few weeks - our wireless router is broken so we're having to use an old wired one. Only one computer, therefore, can access it, and it's not my laptop. Hopefully things will be sorted soon. Hope things are going well with everyone! Click here to discuss this (7 replies, Latest reply: Nov 16, 2008) Venice (Oct 18, 2008) I wrote a long journal entry on this subject yesterday, copied it in case something went wrong, and posted it. Except it took so long it didn't post, and it had gone from my clipboard too. So this will probably be a somewhat shorter version. Last week, I headed off to Venice for a few days with my parents. This was my first holiday since the summer I started uni 3 years ago. Sunday - arrived late afternoon and caught the waterbus (there are no cars in the main parts of Venice, public transport is all by water) to St Mark's Square. After dinner we walked around the square. It's lit up at night and the musicians that play at the cafes there (so they can charge ridiculous prices) keep playing until late in the evening. Monday - went to the Doge's Palace including a walk to the prisons across the Bridge of Sighs, the Rialto bridge and the Basilica of St Mark's. It's built in a very Byzantine style and the ceilings are govered in stunning golden mosaics. Tuesday - we went to San Giorgio Maggiore, a small island with a large church and monastery. We looked around the church then caught the lift up the belltower which provides fantastic views of the city and the lagoon. We walked through some of Dorsoduro, San Polo and Santa Croce, three of the six sestiere or areas of Venice. We bought masks as a souvenir (I wanted a full size on but the only one I could find that I liked enough was about four inches long) and had a quick wander around the Jewish ghetto. This is the world's first ghetto and the one from which the name originates - it comes from a Venetian dialect word meaning 'foundry'. We caught a waterbus down the Grand Canal to admire all the pallazzi and then went around the Amerigo Vespucci, a half sail, half steam ship that the Italian navy uses to train cadets. Italian sailors... ...ahem.Wednesday - we wanted to go to Murano, an island in the lagoon where the famous Venetian glass is made, but looking in the guidebook before we headed out revealed that the glass museum was closed. Instead, we went the naval museum (astonishing value, €1.55 for four floors worth of exhibits) and walked down to the old gateway entrance to Arsenale, the shipyard where the powerful fleet of the Venetian navy was built. It is still an Italian naval compund, so you can't go inside, but they were hosting a symposium of Black Sea and Meditteranean naval powers so there were even more sailors and the military police. Then we headed to Ca Rezzonico, an old pallazzi decorated to look as it might have done in the eighteenth century. Thursday - we went to the Museo Correr (history of the Venetian Republic), and had a quick look at the Archeaological Museum and the Biblioteca Marciana which join on to it. Then we had to head back to the airport. All in all, it was a great trip. Anyone interested in photos can find some of the best ones on my flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/elentari86/ (feel free to add me as a friend if you like) and those of you who are my friends on facebook will find rather more pictures on there. Click here to discuss this (9 replies, Latest reply: Jun 24, 2009) 6th hootoo birthday (Sep 13, 2008) Today is my 6th *proper* hootoo birthday. It's hard to believe I've been here that long. My life has changed a lot in that time, but I don't really feel any different. I've gone from being a 15 year old still in school to a nearly 22 year old graduate with a proper job. It's quite weird to think of it like that.  Anyway, this calls for a celebration!  Drink, anyone?      Click here to discuss this (11 replies, Latest reply: Sep 18, 2008) Plans scuppered by the British weather (Sep 5, 2008) My friends and I were planning to head down to Devon today for a weekend surfing. I took today and Monday off work and was really looking forward to it. We went last year, and had a fantastic time. Unfortunately, the campsite was waterlogged and the beach was closed. Instead, we're filling the time with activities closer to home. Today we went bowling for the afternoon, tomorrow we're going to Laser Quest then an evening at a friend's house - drinks, films, takeaways and Guitar Hero. On Sunday we're heading to Go Ape. Someone else from hootoo (was it Roymondo?) went not long ago, you may recall. It's a huge assault course up in the trees, and apparently the weather is not too much of an issue. Not sure what I'm going to do on Monday. I was very disappointed this morning - I've been looking forward to the trip for months - but this is a pretty good plan B. Click here to discuss this (4 replies, Latest reply: Sep 5, 2008) W*rk (Jul 21, 2008) I started w*rk today. For those of you who didn't read/can't remember what I said I was doing in an earlier journal entry, I'm a Casework Support Officer for the Crown Prosecution Service. I'm w*rking for a Crown Court unit, which means more serious cases than those dealt with by the Magistrate's Court unit. There are very specific procedures to be followed, lots of acronyms and information to learn. I think it will take months to be fully conversant with what I'm doing! Other than the horror of realising that, it was pretty good. They're sending me back up to York next Tuesday for a course on the computer system they use. It's only a day, but hopefully I'll be able to break out at lunchtime and see some friends who are still in the city. It will mean a ridiculously early start to get the train. It was suggested that they would put me up in a hotel the night before, but I can't do that because I'm going to see the Royal Shakespeare Company doing Hamlet that evening. David Tennant. Click here to discuss this (15 replies, Latest reply: Jul 25, 2008) I urge you all to watch this (May 8, 2008) Some of you may have heard of this, or even seen it. For those who haven't, the link below will take you to Dr Randy Pausch's shortened version of a lecture he gave at his university. The lecture series he took part in was called 'Last Lectures' because it asked lecturers to think about what they would say if they only had one lecture left before they died. In Dr Pausch's case, he actually did have only one lecture left. He has Pancreatic cancer and has very little time left to live. It's very inspirational and I hope it makes you all think. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kjZwhcWY-KE&feature=related (I linked to this reprised version because it's ten minutes long, whereas the original is an hour and a quarter, but you can find that easily enough on youtube.) Click here to discuss this (10 replies, Latest reply: Jul 26, 2008) Exams (Apr 25, 2008) Well, last term I finished the taught part of my degree. This term is all assessment. In my second year, we were assessed on 35% of our degree, and the remainder is all this term. On Wednesday and Thursday I had my first exam. It was an open exam, which means you go in early in the morning, take it away, and have two days to write two essays from the questions given, with total freedom to use your books and notes. I handed that in yesterday. It's worth 14% of my degree, but I was pretty happy with it. Next Thursday I have to hand in my dissertation. It's pretty much finished, I just need to make final final changes and get it bound. A few weeks after that, I have another open exam, and two weeks after that I have a 3 hour closed exam on the same module - which is good as it means only one module to revise for. Having the open examfirst is great because it obviously doesn't require as much revision, since you have the notes when writing it. I'm staying sane by planning the month I have off between the end of exams and the end of the uni year. I'm going to do all the things here in York I haven't done yet (walk all the way around the walls, go to more historic properties, etc - expect lots of entries), go walking in the Peak District or the Dales, drag all my friends on trips to the coast (I'm thinking Scarborough, Whitby, and Robin Hood's Bay). Anymore suggestions from anyone familiar with the area? Click here to discuss this (41 replies, Latest reply: Jul 5, 2008) Umm ... Yarr? (Mar 8, 2008) We had our Student Union election results yesterday. Our new president is a pirate. I wish I was joking. His policies include cutlasses for all and a cannon on the top of Central Hall. He has a hat and a duck on his shoulder. He runs the British part of Talk Like a Pirate Day. http://www.theyorker.co.uk/news/uninews/1414/1/ Fun? Yes. Serious? No. By all accounts, he did well at hustings and seems like he might be capable of doing a competent job, but how does this look to outsiders? It reinforces the stereotype of students who don't really care and just want to have fun. What really bothers me is that the president has to represent the university and the students - how is he supposed to negotiate with First Buses, who run the route between campus and town, for lower fares when he's dressed as a pirate? http://www.theyorker.co.uk/news/uninews/1568 Click here to discuss this (21 replies, Latest reply: Mar 15, 2008) Mental shopping spress (May 27, 2007) For some reason, I just had a rather vivid daydream in which I won £3000 to spend on cds, dvds and books on amazon. As pleasant as this was, it was rather inconvenient as I'm supposed to be working, so hopefully writing down my list will stop me thinking about it! If this invites discussion over my choices, so much the better. Cds The entire back catalogue, minus what I already have, of: Patty Griffin Muse Aerosmith AC/DC Madeleine Peyroux Stacey Kent Ludovico Einaudi The Beatles Eva Cassidy Zero 7 Red Hot Chili Peppers Oasis Sigur Ros Foo Fighters The Shins Selections from: Damien Rice (9) Amy Winehouse (Back to Black) The Killers (Sam's Town) Seth Lakeman (Freedom Fields) Bob Marley (Greatest Hits) Dixie Chicks (Taking the Long Way, possibly some others) Bonnie Raitt Duke Ellington John Coltrane (A Love Supreme) Miles Davis Maroon 5 (the new one, can't remember what it's called) Fiona Apple (Extraordinary Machine) Sarah McLachlan (whichever album has Angel on it) Heather Small (Proud) Snow Patrol (Eyes Open) Bruce Springsteen (Greatest Hits) Dvds Box sets: The West Wing (all 7 together - I've already got it, so this would be for my parents and possibly another one for my brother) The entirety of Friends The entirety of Buffy House Lost Green Wing Black Books The Office (UK) Maybe the new Doctor Who (Chris Eccleston and David Tennant era) Individual films: An Inconvenient Truth - not sure I'd rewatch it, but this would support the concept Airplane The Princess Bride Schindler's List Bowling For Columbine The Incredibles Gone With The Wind (how have I never seen this?) Austin Powers 1 and 2 (and maybe 3, if just for the incredible cameos in the first 10 minutes, the rest is a bit pants) Casablanca Books The major published works (minus what I already have) of: Jane Austen George Orwell Philip K. Dick Margaret Atwood Individual books: Catch 22 The God Delusion The Lovely Bones Notes on a Scandal A good thesaurus A good atlas The Song of Roland (I need it for my dissertation as well as wanting to read it) I'm sure more will occur to me, but I'm interested in what you would all choose. Don't worry about a money limit, I didn't add these up or anything. Choices are limited to cds, dvds and books! Click here to discuss this (22 replies, Latest reply: May 28, 2007) Music quiz from EMR, via Alex and Skanky (Apr 11, 2007) Put your music player of choice on shuffle and post the first lines of the first 25 tracks to come up. Guess the title and artist. 1) Life is so boring, it's really got me snoring 2) I have to stop saying "To be honest, it's not a real defeat" 3) Lonely in this white room, there are pads everywhere 4) Too low to find my way, too high to wonder why 5) A language of love slips from my lover's tongue 6) Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry 7) Catch me as I fall, say you're here and it's all over now 8) Don't hold yourself like that, cus you'll hurt your knees 9) Stay for life, for life, all you discover 10) Anger can make you old, oh yes it can 11) Welcome to the jungle, we got fun and games 12) I want you to know, I'm happy for you, I wish nothing but the best for you both 13) Sweet dreams are made of these, who had a mind to disagree? 14) Oh, had I a golden thread and a needle so fine 15) I'm, I'm so in love with you, whatever you want to do is alright with me 16) Mott the Hoople and the game of life, yeah yeah yeah yeah 17) I haven't ever really found a place that I call home 18) Don't kid yourself and don't fool yourself 19) When I first met you baby, you were just sweet sixteen 20) When I was a child, running in the night (not the original artist, the cover version) 21) The light is breaking through the window 22) All you kids get out the back door, I never seen her this mad before 23) You'll remember me when the west wing moves among the fields of barley (again, not the original artist) 24) I walked across an empty land, I knew the pathway like the back of my hand 25) Women of a certain age (I think this might have been done by several artists  )Some of these are very easy, some very difficult. Two artists/groups have two entries each. Enjoy. Click here to discuss this (21 replies, Latest reply: Oct 8, 2007) Call to arms (Mar 3, 2007) Apologies for those of you who are getting hit in the face with this message from all directions, but <./>PeerReview</.> is really struggling at the moment. The <./>ComingUp</.> page has the fewest entries I've ever seen on it and there are only a few pages of entries in Peer Review.<BR /><BR />Put simply, the edited guide needs you! There are a fair few experienced writers doing what they can to increase the number of entries in PR but we can't do it alone. I'd like to encourage everyone to get some entries into Peer Review (make sure you check the Writing Guidelines first though!)<BR /><BR />Write about something that interests you, your town, your university, your hobby, your favourite sport or team, your favourite computer game. Write a biography of someone you admire. How about the last book you read, or your favourite film? Are you a student? Perfect! Tell us what you're studying - it might even help you to remember it! If you are a student, perhaps you have some old essays or presentations saved on your computer that you can convert into h2g2 entries.<BR /><BR />If none of those ideas appeal, try picking something from the Editor's Challenge (you can win a h2g2 tshirt!) or one of the other suggestions on Challenge the h2g2 commmunity. (A1293365). Go to the Flea Market (<./>Writing-FleaMarket</.><SMILEY TYPE='winkeye' H2G2='Smiley#winkeye'/> and choose an entry there.<BR /><BR />There's plenty of help available if you're unsure if your entry is reading, put it in the Edited Guide Writing Workshop or ask here and I'll take a look for you. <BR /><BR />Please, get writing! <SMILEY TYPE='smiley' H2G2='Smiley#smiley'/> Click here to discuss this (61 replies, Latest reply: Oct 5, 2007) Merry Christmas! (Dec 22, 2006) I hope everyone has a great Christmas!     Anyone doing anything particularly exciting? Click here to discuss this (19 replies, Latest reply: Dec 23, 2006) Interesting blog (Nov 17, 2006) Ok, ok, full disclosure - it's Andreos Picaros' (U5383179) blog. You can find it here: http://andreospicaros.blogspot.com, and it may interest you to note that it is featured today on the Guardian's Comment is Free site (http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/index.html) as number 5 of 'Best of the web' on the right-hand side. I'm boasting for him, since he's my brother and he's too modest to do it himself. Click here to discuss this (17 replies, Latest reply: Nov 18, 2006) The debutante's ball... (Aug 22, 2006) Hi everyone! I realise I haven't posted a journal entry in a very long time, but I have a good reason for this one! Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Andreos Picaros. (U5383179) Andreos is my brother, formerly The Anonymous Researcher. He's decided to get back into h2g2 after being inactive for some time, so I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce him to you all. Click here to discuss this (40 replies, Latest reply: Aug 29, 2006) | ||