h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

We've got about 10% women in the group, maybe a little less. And *most* people are ok with it, but let's face it, these groups tend to attract socially awkward males. I've had to tell a few of them off, but luckily, there are enough that you can always just switch groups if need be. One of the men there (who is mostly in the console gaming group) has the opposite problem on Wednesdays, when he's the only man at equestrian club

ah, good there is someone there to put them straight! Who knows, they may take the hint and turn out to be half decent human beings in the end!

Equestrian club sounds a bit like the OU psychology course which has been heavily woman biased in makeup. To the point where on the residentials we had students from other courses (such as geology, no idea why that was so male/50s oriented) turning up. I think I was the only bloke there that wasn't on the pull/sharking. Honestly, it was depressing.

But anyway...
Sounds like you are having a decent social life!
No wild sheep in your life now, though?

Yes - I feel sorry for some of them, because they're obviously *never* going to get the girlfriend they're so desperate for. Not with that approach, anyway. *shudder*

I suppose many of the social sciences suffer from being seen as "women's work", though.

And yes, I decided that this is the year I finally have a social life. Never had the time and the right people around as an undergrad, so I'm very much enjoying getting a do-over! No sheep, either - though I do have a job lined up in December that involves s. I get to drive a horse and carriage around a National Trust park, and get paid for it!

So how's your course coming? Weren't you writing your final few papers or something?

That NT job sounds cool! Do you have to get fancy dressed up for it? Or just normal sensible clothes? I suggest you borrow it, find a frankenstein monster fancy dress outfit and take it round town at night touting for taxi business in your best German Igor accent

My course is all but done, really. Providing I haven't stuffed the exam up that is! (done it before, so no telling).
This year was the last module, and I've now got the credit transfer I applied for so exempted the entry level courses.
Exam was beginning of October and I think went OK. I've had a look at the degree classification calculation and, if I have read it right, then providing I get 70% or so on the exam I should get a 2.1 overall. Otherwise a 2.2 (unless I totally fail the exam!).
Don't find out till around 2nd week of Dec, so getting closer but I'm trying not to think about it overly much and keep telling myself it doesn't matter as I only did it for personal interest, not for a career or anything.

So how's your studies going then?

You have the most....novel business ideas. I think I'll stick to driving the thing out of traffic, since I haven't ever really driven a horse and carriage before. I think I'll just buy some elf ears from a LARP shop, for added realism for the kiddies.

on the exam - it sounds like you've been getting pretty good marks! Are you going to continue studying, or are you glad the stress is over?

We've only had one paper back - out of four - and we don't have any exams, so I have no clue what kind of average I'm at. It is good fun, though. I currently have a project involving Carrickfergus Castle, so I get to go out there a lot.

heh! I save all my best ideas for you Mala - only person I know who might actually do them

Marks have been fairly good - got 80% average for course work this year (I think) but over all mark is best of. So if I get 60% in the exam I only get a pass grade 3 (or C/2.2). Over the degree I average out at a low 2.1/ Pass Grade 2. A couple of mistakes on the first module I took caused that.

Yes, I think I will keep on studying. If I get a 2.1 then I may well look at a psychology based Masters - either in business psychology or something related to cognitive science. First good for career, second what I am actually interested in. If I don't get the 2.1 then will maybe look at another degree - maybe physics. Either way I intend to get 3 degrees. I mean, you've got to be easy on yourself, but I don't think I should be holding back. I'd be a liar if I said i thought I might be jumping the gun to aim for this at this point, but there's no free ride and you have to take care of yourself.

I'll get me coat...

Only 1 paper out of four back? That seems rather unfair, how you supposed to know what you need to work on? What's the Carrickfergus stuff about? Certainly looks like an impressive place. Is it one where there is still work going on to fix it or is it more upkeep and maintenance?

'mala with elf ears' hehehehe. You still got your hair long? Won't they just poke out of it like a gelfling? (dark crystal, not red dwarf, I hasten to add!)

More education certainly can't hurt, and you seem to enjoy it!

Got a second paper back today, but not the one I was worried about. Still, an 80% and a 90% so far, let's hope the trend continues.

Carrickfergus is an interesting castle - it was still in use as a garrison until the middle of the 20th Century! That's why it's so intact. Essentially, I'm doing a geographical analysis of it - the underlying geology and the viewsheds (what can be seen from it) to get an idea of why they built it there and not on the opposite side of the lough. And then a big presentation in front of all kinds of important people that might net us a paid work placement

Gelfling indeed! Harrumph! But yes, the hair is even longer now, so maybe not. I look more like a halfling than an elf, anyway. Looking forward to that job, at least. One more driving lesson on Sunday, and Saturday I'll go see what the local chapter of the SCA is like.

So how'd the driving lesson go? Is it easier because you ride anyway or are all the commands and controls very different for a horse pulling a carriage?

Went over to my folks this weekend (was my birthday) and there were quite a few people who could do with driving lessons! Saw a mercedes almost take out a biker by indicating and turning left off a dual carriageway and then realising that what he'd thought was a slip road was actually layby! Think he had a moment cos he pulled over shortly afterwards with hazards on. Looked ok, just a bit freaked out. Whereas the biker seemed to think the driver just had some interesting past times, given the sign language

So with the castle, it isn't something simple like that's the land they owned and not the other bit? Or that it is closer to the supply routes or even that there was a pre-existing seat of power there they built over? Or is that what you are looking at? Who gets to do the presentation - you?

Hair even longer? Must be half way down your back by now then!

Aaargh, hootoo ate my reply! I hate it when that happens. I thought I posted here days ago; at least it didn't leave a blank post this time.

Happy birthday! Glad you got there in one piece, even with idiot drivers on the road. I nearly got run over by a car yesterday, too, they don't seem to recognise bicycles as vehicles...

Driving the carriage is a bit different - the answer to your question is yes and no, really. On the one hand, you know how horses react, on the other hand, you're suddenly missing your most important aids. If you're riding properly, you steer and accelerate more with your legs and weight than with your hands, so it's a big adjustment.

And that's a fair point about the castle, but John de Courcy had conquered virtually everything east of the river Bann, and built castles in various places, with new settlements springing up around them rather than the other way round...

Thankyou for birthday wishes!

The one that's amused me with cycling of recent is the car drivers you race you off the lights! Yeah, well done mate, your 100bhp has beaten my much-less-than-1hp, have a choccy biccie.

Although I do seem to be getting more accustomed to it, quite happily using 2nd to top gear nearly all the time now and not so knackered when I get back. I might even be getting vaguely fit!

So horse->cart is a bit like motorbike->car then! You know how it all works, but the controls are different and you are more removed from the whole process. Is it a single horse affair? Or do they let you have a team? (Images of Mala standing up, whip in hand, laughing manically as she tears through the town )

Just started reading Kate Fox's 'Watching the English'. Only a couple of pages in and a fascinating read. Plus she seems to have had a rather interesting upbringing from some of her asides.

Yes, they always seem so proud of themselves. Well done for sticking with it, though - just think of the kicking power it gives you! My bicycle refuses to go into 3rd (middle) gear, and I live at the top of a big hill, so I have to use 4th. It helps my riding skillz .

They only let me have the 1hp model so far, but that's a good thing - one is more than enough! It was unexpectedly exhausting; I thought you just sit there all day...

"Watching the English" conjures up these images of people with spotters' guides and binoculars.

It pretty much is. I do like her writing style and feel perhaps I missed a vocation with anthropology! Her comments about things like social bonding rituals of men and women (all couched in correct terms of saying 'this is not *all* women, but enough to be a notable trait) where she says about middle class women and their compliment/denial/return complement rules of social grooming (nice hair, oh it's always a mess not like your hair, well my hair never looks good int he styles you carry so well and so on) which, when men arrive, they carry on in the loos. She then says 'yes, I did follow them' So basically her job is eavesdropping and noisy parkering. Sounds like she has fascinating games to play - she mentions the reciprocal rule of revelation. Where you start of making a minor personal revelation and the other person is socially forced to respond in kind. She recommends finding the most uptight person you can and then see how far you can get pushing this rule.

The comment 'far to clever for her own good' springs to mind

Exhausted? Really? How come - I too would assume it was mostly sitting there. Maybe tired arms, but...
I take it it went well then and there were no rampages through shopping centres or running over small children? Is there much more training before they let you loose?

I want to be friends with her. Or maybe just read that book. Sounds fascinating.

Oh, they let me loose on Friday, no more training involved. And I didn't kill anyone, merely frightened a few people a bit (He gave me the rather, er, explosive horse on Sunday, and they were shooting pheasants out on the estate ) Holding on to her made my arms tired. But the carriage is over 150 years old, so it's not sprung very well, the brake sticks (a disc brake from an ancient Honda), and there's no back rest, so sitting on it is quite active!

Friday? Should be fun, lots of busy shoppers to mow down. How long is the driving shift?
And, important question, who gets to clean up after the horse whilst you trot round the route?

Urgh, I'm tired - not had a day off or a lie-in in weeks, always driving that stupid horse It was fun at first, but now the horse is getting bored and keeps trying to bite me.

It's literally dawn to dusk, we're up at the yard at 8 to catch and wash the horse, and usually get it back there around 5 - so not terribly well paid for all those hours. But at least someone else picks up the poo

I just did my final big presentation for the year, only a paper due on Monday now. There's just the small matter of moving house on Thursday, but otherwise, I can almost relax!

How are things going with you?

Heh, that sounds like quite the slog of a job you got there - are the people at least ok? Not too horrid to you?

Hope big presentation went well, was that the one on the castle or something different? So when do you find out your results for the year then?

Me ok - but down with some horrible bug. Been off work since monday with headaches, throat like coarse grade sandpaper, hacking cough and lungs on fire and general spaced out type illness feeling. Really didn't need it as had a rough year of it this year with not feeling well and back problems. Plus I'm missing the works christmas lunch which I'd already paid for. Feeling better than yesterday but got to the stage of fine whilst sitting there doing nothing but if I try exerting myself I starting coughing horribly and feeling all light headed again. Ah well, that's the way it goes!

Urgh. That sounds very unpleasant. Don't move around too much, then! Missing Christmas dinner is just unfair.

The people are good to get along with, and I do get a home-cooked Mexican meal out of it every evening, so could be worse. Well, one of them keeps throwing snowballs at me, but I'm plotting my revenge.

This was the one about the castle, yes - and I had someone in the audience who was asking really annoying awkward questions just to throw me. The lecturer said I should take it as a compliment Still have the paper to hand in for that - I don't think they even mark the lecture - but should be able to pick up the last paper before that tomorrow, so at least I'll have a fair idea.

Just don't know when I'll have time to write the paper, moving house tomorrow and working all weekend...

urg - made it into work today, just about. Think I'm at the tail end of this cold. Not a nice one. Thanks for the , needed that. Pretty much came back to work today as much because I couldn't stand sitting at home any more!

Surprisingly, they refunded my money for the christmas dinner. So not all bad, thought I'd lost that!

So you're in the house now then? Hope it all went well, apart from the heating I see! Hope it is a much better place than the last. Getting it all decorated for xmas? Do you go back to see family for long or spend most of the hols over here?

And how come you get a gome cooked mexican meal? That sounds a tad random.

Best of luck with the write up

That was nice of them - usually, they say it's a deposit and don't refund it. Not the same as going to the dinner, of course, but treat yourself to something nice for it anyway. Takeaway and a DVD?

I'm sitting on my bed - to be near the window for the mobile broadband, don't have internet here yet - and it's like a little island in a sea of half-emptied bags and boxes. The carpet is not visible at all But we'll get there.

I have to work again tomorrow, then spend the night writing my paper to hand it in on Monday, then finish my Christmas shopping, get the deposit back for the old house, move a last carload of stuff, host a Christmas party, and then take the bus at 3.00 am to get to Dublin in time for my flight home - at least this time, I'm going for 3 whole weeks, and not for a funeral. And then I get 2 weeks' holiday here as well before Uni starts again. I need it by now!

(The food is because the wife of the horse's owner is Mexican - it's her standard dinner. )

Hiya,

So hows it going then? Has the see of plastic bags and boxes diminished any? Hows the first few days of the new place been, better? No unexpected problems I hope?

And how was the paper?

Hope the holiday plans are all going well, sounds like you'll get a good break.

Last couple of days work here, break up tomorrow then a mad day tidying the house, off to my sisters for xmas and boxing day, then back and a chance to crack on with the house and see friends/drink beer