Fschooliascoff.com

Life at the moment seems to be quite uncontrollably busy, I don’t think I realised how much work was going to be involved when I started the university degree. I’m not sure how it is fitting in along side a lot of the other work that I do. I don’t seem to have much free time between multiple part time jobs, some volunteer work and now a part time degree.

I’m often up til quite late hours, or early morning hours getting through everything I have. I’ve had a few In Course Assessments (ICAs) that I’ve struggled to get the word count for. Each one has only been for 1500 words however I’ve always been taught that when writing I should use minimal words for maximum meaning… or in other words… less words for same meaning. This is not useful while writing essays as I natuarally reduce my wording. I tend not to when writing blog posts as write as I think the thoughts instead of re-analysing reference matterial and re-writing it automatically.

I don’t write here as often anymore, I just don’t have the time too. Only now, after finishing one of the ICAs in the middle of a night, or an early morning… Looking at the PC clock its coming up 6.20am. I’ve not worked all night, I felt tired and slept for an hour or two and then continued with the work.

My reading speed has increased again still, I seem to be absorbing information yet when writing the words are not always coming to me. In conversation, and in classes, I’ve been able to contribute well but not so much in the writing – it is something I am working on and although I really hate these ICAs, they are helping me in remembering topics better.

I do like to be busy, I like to be involved with many things and with many people. That I don’t have the issue with, it just seems at the moment, there is just that little bit too much and it is getting on top of me. February is looking quite a calm month at the moment, but I guess the university will fill that one up too – it usually seems too especially when I’ve just got to the point of thinking its free.

I do not regret re-starting university however I am having to re-organise my normal life a lot to accomodate the extra hours outside the classroom. I had estimated around 30 minutes for three work days, and 2 hours on the weekend. Its actually closer to 45 minutes a day plus 3 to 4 hours on the weekend on top of the class work (Excluding when its ICA time where more time is required again).

Its been an awesome 2011 for me, I’ve learned a lot and grown in ways I did not expect. I didn’t do everything I wanted but did give it a good go and in the process found more things that I enjoy.

I hope that you all have an Amazing New Year, and that 2012 be the start of something that just gets better and better.

Most popular post this year:

• How to replace the Hard disk in a Zoostorm Freedom 10-270 netbook

I didn’t expect people to find it useful, it was more written up because if I ever wanted to do it again, I’d have a guide for it. Plus, I’d not found anything online like it. One day I may add pictures too… now that I have got them to the computer.

I hope you all have an amazing time what ever you are up too.

At the end of last year I wanted to try so many things, I made a list of stuff I would like to do and a few of those things I have managed but done so much more as well.

I found a few new passions for life, my work life changed – more of a new mix of things to do rather than a particular job change. The change allowed me to section things really well meaning I’ve had more focus and enjoyed things more.

With no real headaches/migraines anymore my concentration levels feel like they’ve gone through the roof, I felt I’ve had more time to do things although I’ve got very good at filling all that extra time up again. Since stopping the consumption of chocolate, I have only had 3 headaches I could consider up to migraine pain and it only knocked me out for a day so it wasn’t too bad. It seems worth the trade although I really do miss chocolate.

Going quickly down my list from last year and how its turned out so far:

Play the guitar
- I managed a few cords and tried for a few weeks but didn’t really feel any passion for it to keep it up and other things took priority so I stopped.

Trampolining: Sumasaults with no help
Not managed it yet, but been learning Bounce rolls too, I’m getting the rotation just not quite the confidence or trusted coordination to actually complete the moves.

Rock Climbing – more technique
I’ve went with friends while in Leeds but not so much locally. I have learned how to climb, how to tie knots and belaying but not really done a lot with it. I tried the club locally and although they seemed friendly, it was all a bit too cleeky and I didn’t feel I could just go some weeks and not others and then other things are now happening on the same night so not so easy to go anyhow.

A new passion in work, or something in life that I don’t want to put down
Work: Well I’m still in the same main job, but have a few others now aswell that make life a lot more interesting and challenging.

New cooking styles
I’ve been making sweets this year, a mixture of things such as Banoffee mixtures, Toffee sweets, Chilli & ginger chocolate and most recently ginger creams (same basis of peppermint creams, just ginger essence instead of peppermint) as well as things like Chilli Popcorn, Spicy BBQ Shreaded Pork and Spicy Chicken

Dance
I wanted to become more fluid, confident, and relaxed in dance and expand the styles but that would involve me actually going out and doing it, that didn’t happen this year which was strange but something to look forward too for next year.

Fitness
I’ve enjoyed my trampolining this past year, rock climbing, and swimming and other exercise I’ve got up too, but the newest thing has been ice skating, I’ve always wanted to try it but not had the opertunity to really try it, I’ve tried to get lessons but could never get on the courses.

Then about 2 months ago, I saw an advert for some free lessons put on for local residents and went for it, it was a set of 5 beginner lessons over 5 weeks. I’ve had my own boots for years but only had used them once before the lessons. I’m no good at it, I now know how to start of, get up, fall with style (not part of the lessons), kinda stop and greatly increased confidence in going for it…

I went with some friends after the lessons, and didn’t feel that confident – I was afraid of falling and hurting myself badly. I didn’t relax… I was fine until the last 5 minutes of the timeslot where I went flying and just burst into laughter skidding across the ice. It hurt (still does) but it was an eye opener. Next time I went, I was less afraid of falling and relaxed. It was so much easier and a lot of fun. Its something I hope to do multiple times a month now. so… Falling was a good thing.

— End of last years list —

So, What else has been happening

New Year Start…

The New year started in London with a close friend, we went to celebrate the new year in the capital to see what it was like. We thought to head to the waterfront in plenty of time and set off for around 6pm on new years eve, seems that was not early enough. We were diverted around different streets and never quite got to the waterfront and ended up in Trafalgar square. We had a good view of the fireworks when they started although the build up was quiet but friendly. We had a good time, and a long walk home – we were not attempting London transport that night.

Spring

In April time, I went to spring harvest and spent some time out from normal life. I spent a few weeks in Northampton, I used a site called spareroom, and rented a room for a month or for the two weeks I was there. It worked out a lot cheaper than trying hotel, or even B&B accommodation and gave me a lot of freedom. I got all my washing sorted from the previous week at spring harvest and the weather was awesome. I think it was in the late 20′s to early 30′s in temperature – it was really nice to be able to laze out in a back garden and just read a book. I saw a lot of friends from the area, and caught up with some I’ve not seen in years – an awesome holiday/time out.

Summer/Autumn

During the time which we could consider is summer time I got to thinking about my future again and for the past year or so, I’ve thought about returning to university. I’ve wanted to get that degree in something just to prove to myself I can do it and really not wanted it in IT anymore. IT is something I can do but not what I want to do for the rest of my life.

It was an interesting experience applying again and wondering Will I Get in? and finding out the day before I was due to start that I got in, and I would be a student again. I am finding it hard work but very enjoyable. I found my first post on this site, and how unhappy I was in the IT university course – it feels very different this time round and I look forward to what I am learning instead of the thoughts of “I have to get through this”.

For as long as I can recall I have always wanted the rights of people to be served right and people get what they are entitled too. I’m not interested in this suing of everyone for anything. I think it’s stupid in a lot of ways but I don’t think it’s right that people are cheated out of things. I’ve been one that reads the terms of most things to see what I’m signing for or against and often enjoyed debating with others even things I totally agree with them about.

On the 30th November 2011, I was involved in Strike Action to stand for the rights of my pension. It doesn’t really affect me directly, but does many of my friends and my Union voted to strike, so I stood by them. I was asked why I striked as they reckoned everyone is loosing out, why not me…

How would you like this senario: You have an all expenses luxury holiday planned for 30th July next year, when you get there you will get the best weather for the place, you won’t have to pay anything more but it will cost you £250 each month for the next 6 months to go. You agree and start the payments. After a couple of months, the company doing the package turn round and change the terms. Now you have to pay £300 per month, and its no longer available in July – its now in October. Its no longer all expenses paid, you will have to pay for food, and those facilities that would have been included.

Would you agree to this? Pay More, For longer for less in the return and you wonder why people would want to fight for their right?

Christmas

I had friends down for Christmas this year, waking up and opening presents from one another and then visiting their families. In the afternoon we went to my parents place where my family was all together. There was around 14 of us around the table all eating and celebrating together for the afternoon. I got to meet and actually spend time with some of my cousins that I’ve only known by names before Christmas. I had a really good time and felt truelly blessed to have spent it with friends and family that care so much for me.

So, For the next year…

I would like to try a few things for the next year and hope I continue to enjoy life. I can say that I’ve felt a true sense of happyness in the last few months – I’ve got involved in a lot of things I’ve dreamed about doing and just went for it with a new focus I didn’t seem to have. I’ve discovered that I find more and more I can do in life and look forward to what is coming next.

• Trampolining: Sumasaults with no help
• More cooking styles
• Dance: become more fluid, confident, and relaxed in dance and expand the styles
• Great grades and new friends through University
• Be more involved with Harvest
• The traditional – I want to get fitter, healthier etc

So thats me done for the year, so much has happened and I can see so many posibilities for the future and although its hard work and will get more of a challenge, I am looking forward to it while working through everything I have on.

Happy New Year!

I’ve been reading how so many people find it wrong that people working in the Public Sector are striking due to changes in their pensions. I work partly in the public sector and I am affected by the changes if only a little. I have friends that are and have been working in their jobs for many years putting money into their pensions. This is not the state pensions, this is something more.

I see people arguing that they shouldn’t be disrupting the public services and should just go with it. Would you have a problem if you were buying a car or a house or something else and you had paid for months, even years to an agreed outcome… you will get that item at the end of it all and while you have been paying your part in, someone decides to change the terms. Its not that you won’t get something at the end of it all, just that you won’t quite get what you were expecting and a few other things… It will take you longer to get it and the price has changed… Would you be happy with that? I know I wouldn’t and generally in UK Law that would break all sorts of terms of the contract.

Think of a holiday, you’ve been paying to go on this holiday all year, you know that on the 30th November that you will be going on an all inclusive holiday and everything is pre paid for, your not going to need anything more because you’ve already paid for it. Then someone changes the “contract”, you no longer get to go on holiday on the 30th November, now you have to wait til January, you have to pay more each month as the price has changed and its no longer all inclusive, you have to pay for stuff now as the value has changed… Would you be happy with that?

Is it wrong that schools are closed and people are off work as people strike, is it creating issues? If it didn’t cause any issues, would it even be noticed?

A day lost of education for children or anyone learning… yet last year, and even next year there is an extra bank holiday due to the Royal Wedding last year and next year the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee – these also lose an extra day for education but thats fine as everyone gets a day off… we still lose a day but its not about peoples unhappyness so thats OK.

Regarding pensions in general, I started mine in my early 20′s and I’m only in my early 30′s now but always put something aside and that is seperate to the state pension that we all have to pay into (if we work). In all my part time jobs, I have a pension in them – I pay something into it if only a little. These changes don’t directly effect me immediately as I am on a relatively low wage for those jobs but I will have to work years more than I joined up for.

I can remember times in the 80s when my parents were on strike and it was a hard time then. House interest rates were huge often having a number one or two before the current rates. Wages were a lot worse and people were suffering. People are still suffering although life has changed a lot since then.

Often the government and a lot of people don’t see the Public sector makes any money so they are not important but take a day like the 30th November 2011 where there is a strike against pensions and people are not working, there are quotes of costs lost… if the public sector doesn’t do money… how does it lose money by not providing their service? The services they provide, allow the private sector to work and without them it does cost so in reality they do provide some actual cost.

I have lots of views on these things but can’t explain them all. There are so many complication involved its hard to explain them and so I leave it as this. These are my personal views but that doesn’t mean they are wrong.