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

Yummmm... chocolate... gooood...

I can understand not wanting anything sweet. Coffee is a good alternative. I find that when I'm tired and needing spiritual nourishment, anything hot and flavorful is reassuring. Homemade soup is good for that, too. Comfort food!

I'm munching on....poppadoms of all things! I'm always inclined to just grab salty immediate snack food when I feel like this. I should make soup and other good things instead. You're definitely right that it's comfy.

Right it's another rant time about school.

We all got given a poem to analyse, make notes on, and then photocopy these notes so they could be used by the rest of the class; this technically means we all have notes on all the poems.

HOWEVER when some of the notes have been done by people who don't know if it's whether or weather and write such sentences as "Both poems grow older in each stanza, which gives each poem atmosphere" then it really seems very pointless, as I hadn't noticed (having failed to read the notes until now) and now I'm going to have to analyse half the poems myself again!

What makes it worse is that I can't stand poetry! I find it SO difficult to engage with

Soup is good. Warmth in general is a good thing -- I currently have a space heater running at the offce about 18 inches away from me and then an electric blanket at home at night.

*agreeing with Milla about 85% cocoa-butter - the best one is Lindt - it costs about £1.30 for a biggish bar and most supermarkets have it. It's far less sweet than the 70% stuff.

What types of poetry are you analysing? I, being the high-handed type that I am, only like 'classic' poetry - but surely Shakespeare sounds way cooler than 21st-century wording?

One of my pet peeves is when we're required to learn off some incompetent students' projects. Good luck with that!

*quietly enjoying that I have made some sort of contribution lately*
Teuchter - cocoa solids, not just cocoa butter - that is mainly fat and is the base of white "chocolate", which isn't. Chocolate, that is. Not. Did that make any sense?

Ach, why do people insist on taking subjects I'm totally at loss in(at, of? bluddi forrin languages!) Give me stoichiometry any day!

Sorry Milla I should have considered you when I chose my subjects!


Philip Larkin...enough said I think. I'm going to try and get my teacher to let me see her notes because "I missed some lessons and I don't think I quite understood all of it".

Today...we hunt chocolate. OH wait! No we don't! My granddad is coming to stay for the weekend and I need to clean the bathroom Fine today we remind ourselves that port does not a breakfast make.

Apology accepted I'm just frustrated I can't help, same thing with another researcher, I know, back at studies after a long break and with soul problems. Pop over to my space and I'll introduce you two, you can moan in chorus!

You can always take granddad out for a choc excursion?

on the breakfast front!!!

*...another researcher I know, ...

A comma makes all the difference!

Harmonic moaning

Right well it turns out I didn't actually need to go to school! Bear with me here...

Geography - they were starting to talk about sand dune systems. I've alraedy done this in great detail. They then went on to talk about the field trip next week. I'm not going...so I did some maths I decided to make up for myself.

English - teacher isn't here and by some random quirk I've already done the work we've been set for the lesson.
At this point I decide to come home after I ask someone about the...

Maths - I've caught up the lesson I missed, done the homework, and seem to have done today's lesson and homework too!! I've done everything in the book that I could possibly do on the topic.

I could have stayed in bed! I could have not drunk all that port this morning! I could have not freaked out! I could

So I'm eating pasta and pesto

Pasta and pesto is good

It's great that you're well up to date with those subjects - I remember liking that feeling

Makes me wonder why I go to half my lessons

The great thing is that I won't have any geography lessons next week so I can just do background reading for them and do the odd pieces of homework I haven't done.

Must remember to turn up for over 60% of my classes...must remember to turn up fo over 60% of my classes...

The problem (problem??) with being SO up to date with maths is that then of course it goes on and on with me doing more work because I worry I'm falling behind, then find I'm ahead...so don't go to the lesson, so do more homework in case...then find...etc Eventually I'll hit a brick wall though I presume

Ahead? I don't see the problem- you can always sleep in class.

You're not going on the field trip? That sucks.

Oh no I just decided to do my coursework not on a windy cold rainy beach in Wales...remember? Plus I didn't want to miss four days of English and Maths. I'm so responsible sometimes

Oh my God OH MY GOD!!!

I swear, what is it about the end of the week??!! I've just spent my time reading people's journal entries who are upset about things and I then go and collect the mail only to find THIS letter!!

Dear Mr and Mrs Kat

As Kat has been with us for over half a term I thought it would be appropriate to give you feedback on how she is settling in with us.

Academically Kat is working steadily but she feels she is aheard of some of the Maths so does not go to the lessons. it is imperative that Kat maintains her attendance so she can be guided to move on to another subject when appropriate. Her estimated grades are high so she is able to work at the level that is required of an A-Level student.

My greatest concernt follows a conversation I had with Kat last week. She explained so of things that she was coping with and how she was coping. There is obviously a lot of history with her problems that I feel we need to discuss as it is affecting Kat's time at Sixth Form.

I know Kat is over 18 but she is still under our "duty of care" therefore any advice you can give us regarding Kat would be welcomed.

I would be greateful if you could contact me to make an appointment.



So today I'm going into school to have a little...chat about personal information and confidentiality. I'm also going to point out that I'm not drinking, I've been to every lesson this week, and just because my parents aren't doing anything doesn't mean they aren't aware of what I'm doing. I am INCREDIABLY angry in a very dull and resigned way. I knew I shouldn't have spoken to someone in school.

Kat

You have made such progress this week! Just keep it up.

You know, this person probably feels very insecure about the whole business, and in an attempt to do the right thing, did something that doesn't seem to help.

Go on, have the chat. And gently ask that next time (s)he wants to contact your parents, you are asked for agreement _first_. It really looks like the person is trying to help, but I understand your frustration completely!

Let us know...

"I know Kat is over 18 but she is still under our "duty of care""

This is the classic way of them saying "we know we're breaking all the rules, but it's ok 'cos we reckon we have a legal defence if anyone complains"

It's soooooo wishy washy.

Well in the end I decided it was a better idea to tell dad and get him to sort it out, that way reassuring her that she has a connection to my parents and that they are aware, whilst I know that my dad will sort it, and is already aware of exactly what his daughter is like.

So he's going in to talk to her this afternoon. I've told him that I was having a horrible week and was drinking and not going to class, but that it's now sorted. He trusts me that it is sorted...well because it is! Drink is something that I can pick up or put down...that's fine.

I'm angry that she went over my head without warning me, but I understand that she needed to cover her ass. Dad is angry that I opened his mail but is happy to sort it and did point out that nothing she tells him is worse than he's already been told.

It does, however, mean that I have to go to my lesson after lunch as he's talking to her at 2:30

All's well that ends well, I suppose.

I'm very disappointed that you opened mail addressed to someone else. If your parents now decide to open your mail, where do you stand, morally speaking?

The school should have told you that they were writing to your parents - and given you a copy - but they were acting according to guidelines. Other young people in this thread should be aware that universities in the UK will also write to the parents of students even though those students will almost certainly be over 18.

Lecture over... you still have every ounce of support I can muster .

Umm...yes if they open my mail now then I'll feel silly. I sort of...panicked, and that was the hugest lecture in the world I got about it from dad.

I think it was more shock that something that had ben a panic moment had come back to have consequences after it was sorted out you know? I'm ALWAYS forgetting that things have consequences. I find it very difficult to remember that there's a future, which means my calander is very very detailed so I don't confuse myself.

It felt a bit like...if a guy has a fling when he's 19 and then 20years later this woman turns up with a strapping son saying he's yours and she wants back money.