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

Hiya

I just thought this time I'd bring the convo to you, all in one, rather than using multiple threads

I will admit to some curiosity though. I've been trying to think but cannot remember running into you before you popped up on my U space. It's always nice to have people visit, but I'm dying to know how you got there! Please, don't go though, as it's really nice chatting to you

So, got bank holiday weekend plans?

cheers ismarah

Hi,

It's always exciting to get a message on my page!

Ummm... I think I ended up on your space because I was looking at a thread on Iceland and saw you were from Iceland so went to your page and barged into your journal!

And this bank holiday I will mostly be... sitting at the computer laboriously typing notes into a music notation programme so I can try to learn the harmonies for the Mikado, which I'm doing in October.(Shameless plug but I'm very excited to have got a part!).

Are you doing anything interesting?

Lbclaire

You sing?? What role etc? (plug away - rapt audience)
I used to sing in Iceland, years ago. Was in a very good choir, sang soprano. But now I haven't sung in years, my voice has lowered in range and I have no interest in singing choral or classical music. I listen to it, but I just don't feel like singing it myself.

One of the things I've been doing is trying to find something to learn or do that will make me have more self-esteem and give me more career options, and for the most part I've been concentrating on something to finish a/my degree. Now, I think I've found a place to start and could have started in September. However, reality invaded and I'm going to have to wait until next year to start, so that I can do things like pay off wedding and honeymoon. Plus, it would be sh!te to start a degree with nothing but debts beforehand!

Anyhow, this was a circuitous way of saying that cause I'm not starting thingy watsit, I should be able to do fun stuff for a year. Do evening classes to prep for thingy watsit, go riding cause I've really missed it from Iceland, maybe take singing lessons, maybe buy a new swanky camera etc. Oh, and enjoy being a newly-wed

Anyhow, now I've invaded your U space too

cheers ismarah

I'm playing Peep-Bo (yeah, name I know). She's one of the three little maids from school (the one song I already knew and now I have to learn a completely weird harmony line to it...sigh)

I've always done musicals but in the last few years have been in a drama group that just does plays. I was really missing it so decided to 'moonlight' with another local group, and I'm loving getting back into the whole singing and dancing thing (though the dancing isn't exactly my strong point ). I sing soprano too (ie the tune ), so it's hard to get into singing second soprano.

I've just started having lessons again with my singing teacher - I spent a year and a half with him before but we didn't do any singing, more therapy type stuff. He's a voiceworker as opposed to just a 'singing teacher' and the difference in my voice after only a couple of sessions (having done this year and a half of work to get me to the right place to begin) is astonishing. Of course, at the moment I have to stand like an orang-utan, stick my tongue out and pretend I'm Lady Bracknell to get this new voice to come out but hey, you can't have everything...

What's your degree? Will you have to work while you're doing it? I do admire people who do that. I didn't have any kind of job at uni - was lucky to go when they still did grants and my parents helped with the rest - but I still found it hard to fit everything in (DannyB would give a wry smile at this since I did an English degree with about 10 hours of lectures a week, and he did a medical degree with about 10 hours a day (or so he tells me...)). There were mature students on my course who had kids - don't know how they did it.

I want to get back into riding too. I have ridden since I was a child, had a while off during A-levels, university etc. then started again. I had my own horse for a few years, had a bad accident a couple of years ago and haven't ridden since... but that's a very long story...

I'm trying to pluck up the courage to start again - I'd love to ride an Icelandic pony - I've heard they are fantastic.

Anyway, time to go home - weekend beckons! Sorry if I've rambled on a bit...

Have a good one,

Lbclaire

Oh, rambling's good, don't worry!

Re icelandic ponies - they're really sweet. I've been led to believe that english horses are somewhat neurotic or bad tempered, but icelandic horses are more like dogs in that they're friendly, inquisitive and quite intelligent. Obviously, having never ridden an english horse, I may be talking complete b^llsh!t, but I'm doing it with such conviction!

Re Uni - I've been to uni a few times now, first to study (bizarre choice) political science in Iceland and then (not so bizarrely) I did distance learning at University of London, Goldsmiths, in English literature. I found them to be really snobby and not so much helpful, so I quit in a huff. Haven't regretted that yet, but always wish I had _a_ degree. Some days it's like I don't really care what in, I just want the piece of paper to go with it...

At the moment I'm looking at doing an access course to arts as that would sort of show me if that is really what I want to do, without jumping in at the deep end. And of course, I wouldn't get into an arts program without it. Looking at Surrey Institute of Art and Design at the moment and will aim to keep that dream alive until application time next year. I feel a bit like a weather cock sometimes though, cause I'm not the most steadfast person in the world, and the more jobs/courses I do, the more jobs/courses I know I don't want to do...

I'm also trying to decide if I want a 'job' or a 'career' so to speak. You might guess, but my most loathed interview question is 'where do you see yourself in 5 years' time?...

Re singing - I wouldn't know where to start here in the UK, finding a decent instructor that would do more bluesy/jazzy/rocky/poppy music for someone that has never properly learnt music. I don't read notes, not really, and I certainly can't sing a C if you tell me to. If you play a C on the piano though, I usually get it
Ignorant question: 'Lady Bracknell'?

No serious/fun weekend plans for me/us, as tomorrow morning I have to go to hospital for my pre-op checks. Then might do some suit-searching for wedding for DT. Other than that, we're clueless/planless so hope yours are better/will be more successful.

Cold shower sounds nice right now though!


cheers ismarah

Hi again,

Nice bank holiday?

Re. horses: I think in general, ponies are thought to be more fun, more intelligent and friendlier than horses. Just like small people (says she at only 5'4" ). My horse was an Arab, though bred in England, so I don't really know what that makes him. He was very difficult, very sensitive, very intelligent and quite stand-offish but I think a lot of the problems were just the fact that we weren't right for one another.

I've got a degree in English literature. Don't know where my piece of paper is though - stuck in a cupboard at my mum and dad's I think! . I found the degree has definitely helped with the jobs I've done (publishing, and now editorial/design stuff). An access course sounds a good idea - find out if you want to do the full degree before you take it on.

I hate the 'where do you see yourself in 5 years' question too. In fact, my first employer asked me that and I answered honestly that I didn't know. It got me the job actually, as he wanted someone who wouldn't use the job as just a stepping stone to something else. I still don't know where I'll be in 5 years, and that's fine with me! I hope I'll still be with DannyB, and still have my family and cats, but that's about it.

Can't give much advice about a singing teacher, I'm afraid, as mine is quite different, but one thing I will say is that if you want to sing blues/jazz/rock/pop etc. you still need to be able to sing properly, or you risk damaging your voice. Most singers don't use their voices properly and suffer from tiredness and vocal chord problems. So you might still have to sing stuff you don't like in order to be able to sing stuff you do like...

Lady Bracknell - sorry, a character from Oscar Wilde's 'The Importance of Being Earnest'. She's a very loud, very snobby dowager lady, who speaks in a very over-the-top way (or rather, this is how actresses have portrayed her since Edith Evans did the part in the black and white film). It's hard to describe if you haven't seen it done - put it this way, it sounds a bit like an offended foghorn...

Lbclaire

Aha, haven't actually seen 'The Importance of Being Earnest' on celluloid or stage, but did read it yonks ago. So long ago, in fact, that I don't actually remember any of the names

Actually, icelandic horses are technically speaking 'horses' and not ponies. They have more gaits than other horses, can carry a full grown (even large) man and tend to go shaggy in winter colds and then they look more like sheep than horses
I found a stable down in Bishops Stortford that has icelandics and they did invite me to come down for a visit. Haven't managed it yet for whatever reason. You'd think I would have, wouldn't you?

Re singing - I don't mind learning to sing properly, involving opera or choir things, as long as it's a means to an end, rather than the end itself. We'll see what I do after wedding. That's my timeline at the moment, everything is to be done AW...

On one point, I must disagree with you - at 5"4 I am just the right height

My plan with my english lit degree (the one I don't have) was to go into editing etc but I don't really see that happening. Feel a bit like a loser at the moment, not having a degree. Mostly though, I'm just stressed because of tomorrow, so come thursday or friday, I'll be fine. Drugged to the gills, presumably, but fine.

blech

cheers ismarah

Hello,

Hope your pre-op stuff went OK and you're not feeling too .

Interesting about Icelandics being horses. Here, we call anything under 14.3 a pony. I've always wanted to try a tolt - would probably fall off though...

BTW I was saying that 5'4" IS the right height... as it's my height...

You shouldn't feel a loser for not having a degree. It's not vital and lots of intelligent and successful people don't have them. I'd agree that it certainly gets you into some jobs, and helps with many others, but it's not the be-all and end-all. More important is to study something you're interested in and feel you might want to pursue - whether that's in degree form or not. I've benefitted from my English degree, I suppose - if nothing else it taught me to learn on my own and organise my time - but most of what I do in my current job has been learnt post-university.

Anyway, must do some work. Sorry if this is a bit disjointed, am very busy at work and have H2G2 subbing and my flower remedies coursework to do at some point today too (stuffed into lunchtime I imagine...).

Lbclaire

Am back home from hospital now and feeling ok for the most part.
Have the occasional episodes of passing out or getting too knackered just by having a shower but will improve quickly, I'm told.

Tolt is actually a very nice ride and you should have no problem managing it. How smooth or fast it is depends entirely on the horse - they're all funny little individuals...

Am gonna go sit down somewhere now - this left handed typing lark is annoying!

Have a good weekend

cheers ismarah