Howdy! (Hmm, bit cringy but let's go with it.)
So, I haven't written a post in... well, a long time. I'd like to say it was because I was incredibly busy or some such, but that'd be a lie, I just lost interest. Anyhoo, I'm back today! Don't all cheer at once.
Suffice it to say my life has changed somewhat in the past few months. When you last read about my life I was a student not really enjoying university and finding anything to do to keep away from doing work. Well, let me update you all.
Firstly, I have discovered an immense appreciation for Elvis Presley after the single best night I have ever worked at Keighley Golf club - A big thank you to an exceptionally talented man called Andy Wood. Kudos!
Secondly, and I suppose some might see this as a bit more of a biggy, I left University, bummed about for a bit, got my act together and got my self a career as a site engineer for a big Civil Engineering company. I miss everyone out in Manchester, (you know who you are) but some times you just have to take these opportunities. Bit of a change, I'm aware. Many people have asked me just how I landed the position having done three irrelevant A levels and having no further qualifications even closely resembling anything to do with construction. Well, it's a mixture of luck, who you know as opposed to what you know and a damn fine interview. After being there a month I am content with my current situation and it would appear I've found a job for life offering me a lot of room for progression and places to branch out. I think I can safely call this a win, if not possibly even an epic win.
Oh and thirdly, I've bought my self an iPad 2, I have become a slave to the Apple monster and I don't care.
Love and
Post Script ('cos I'm old school) seen as I'll be making use of this social media Twitter - @AllThatIsGold
Saturday, 1 October 2011
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
A Trip to Birmingham
No, don't worry, I haven't gone mad - I didn't visit Birmingham out of choice. I did in fact take part in a course and competition for Jitsu with many others who came along from Manchester and around the country. Aside from a few of us coming back a little broken, my self included, I think we all had an exceptional time and managed to pick up a few medals along the way. Well done guys.
Anyway, frivolity aside for now, I fear there may have been a lull in posting recently - my apologies. But on the up side, the reason for it lies in me getting my act together a little more at Uni and actually attending regularly and doing the work. After scraping through last semester I felt it was necessary. Oddly though, it seems that a lot of my peers have gone the other way with a more studious first semester and bugger all in the second, very odd, but whatever works for the individual I suppose.
Purely because everyone else is doing it, I feel like I should comment on the unrest in north Africa and the Middle East. I've followed events closely, mainly from Radio 4 which has provided brilliant and up to date coverage I'll add, and I really do feel for the people of Libya. I mean, they've watched the people of Egypt win over against Mubarak giving them the drive and positive attitute to challenge the tyrant who is Colonel Gaddafi but things haven't panned out in nearly the same way. Mubarak did not bomb his own citizens, nor did he tell the world that they were still loyal and it was down to terrorist groups that the protests were happening. And now Lybian's are fleeing the country whilst the violence continues. I hope that in the long run it is worth it.
On a lighter note, I'll regail you with some more mundane comments about my life. For one, I've got back out of laziness and am cooking properly again - I'll be avoiding the chicken goujons and potato waffles which have become a staple diet. I have in fact begun making a curry from scratch, the chicken marinates as you read!
Anyway, I'd better be going. Seen as I can't train tonight I'm going to just watch the session instead, I like to think of that as dedication.
Anyway, frivolity aside for now, I fear there may have been a lull in posting recently - my apologies. But on the up side, the reason for it lies in me getting my act together a little more at Uni and actually attending regularly and doing the work. After scraping through last semester I felt it was necessary. Oddly though, it seems that a lot of my peers have gone the other way with a more studious first semester and bugger all in the second, very odd, but whatever works for the individual I suppose.
Purely because everyone else is doing it, I feel like I should comment on the unrest in north Africa and the Middle East. I've followed events closely, mainly from Radio 4 which has provided brilliant and up to date coverage I'll add, and I really do feel for the people of Libya. I mean, they've watched the people of Egypt win over against Mubarak giving them the drive and positive attitute to challenge the tyrant who is Colonel Gaddafi but things haven't panned out in nearly the same way. Mubarak did not bomb his own citizens, nor did he tell the world that they were still loyal and it was down to terrorist groups that the protests were happening. And now Lybian's are fleeing the country whilst the violence continues. I hope that in the long run it is worth it.
On a lighter note, I'll regail you with some more mundane comments about my life. For one, I've got back out of laziness and am cooking properly again - I'll be avoiding the chicken goujons and potato waffles which have become a staple diet. I have in fact begun making a curry from scratch, the chicken marinates as you read!
Anyway, I'd better be going. Seen as I can't train tonight I'm going to just watch the session instead, I like to think of that as dedication.
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
Two Yoghurt Pots and a Plastic Spoon
"The flood waters will recede, the famine will end, the sun will shine tomorrow, and I will always be here to take care of you." -Charlie Brown to Snoopy
It's sunny! It may not be warm, but it's sunny and therefore people don't care. I feel like I've witnessed such an incredible change in people, and I attribute it to the weather. Not one miserable face have I seen out and about today, everyone seems grateful that they don't have to walk at a forty five degree angle against the wind. This post was inspired by a complete randomer who this morning, whilst I waited for my course mates ran up to one of his friends wearing t-shit and shorts and shouted, "It's sunny and I'm wasting my life. Look at me, I've got two yogurt pots and a plastic spoon!" For some reason this creased me over with laughter, drawing some odd looks from those around me but I couldn't help it. I just thought that it said everything about University life brilliantly. I hope by some odd coincidence this random chap reads this, you deserve recognition.
Now onto something else entirely. With my course comes a module in psycholinguistics which it seems is incredibly interesting, so much so that I enjoy the lectures. Today we were introduced to to wonders of audio visual illusions, for anyone who enjoys optical illusions I highly reccommend what I'm about to move onto. I'm not going to bore you with details, I merely want to point you to something on YouTube which many of you I think will appreciate, especially psychologists, it's called the McGurk effect. Look it up and follow the instructions listed below the video, it does mess with your minds a little but it's easily explained.
I'm not sure about how things are at other Universities, but it seems to me that all lectureres and research fellows who run tutorials are foreign. I will quickly say that I don't have a problem with this at all, they are generally superb lecturers and they obviously knwo there stuff. What I do have a problem with is that they assign a post-grad to teach the tutorials who is evidently not cut out for it. My tutorial group and the woman teaching suffered for an hour trying to understand one another which inevitable led to the difficult subject we were covering being clear as mud. Oh well, it's sunny, so I don't care.
It's just occured to me that wherever you are, it could be raining, snowing or blowing a gale. In which case you damn well deserve it, Manchester will take your usual good weather for once.
It's sunny! It may not be warm, but it's sunny and therefore people don't care. I feel like I've witnessed such an incredible change in people, and I attribute it to the weather. Not one miserable face have I seen out and about today, everyone seems grateful that they don't have to walk at a forty five degree angle against the wind. This post was inspired by a complete randomer who this morning, whilst I waited for my course mates ran up to one of his friends wearing t-shit and shorts and shouted, "It's sunny and I'm wasting my life. Look at me, I've got two yogurt pots and a plastic spoon!" For some reason this creased me over with laughter, drawing some odd looks from those around me but I couldn't help it. I just thought that it said everything about University life brilliantly. I hope by some odd coincidence this random chap reads this, you deserve recognition.
Now onto something else entirely. With my course comes a module in psycholinguistics which it seems is incredibly interesting, so much so that I enjoy the lectures. Today we were introduced to to wonders of audio visual illusions, for anyone who enjoys optical illusions I highly reccommend what I'm about to move onto. I'm not going to bore you with details, I merely want to point you to something on YouTube which many of you I think will appreciate, especially psychologists, it's called the McGurk effect. Look it up and follow the instructions listed below the video, it does mess with your minds a little but it's easily explained.
I'm not sure about how things are at other Universities, but it seems to me that all lectureres and research fellows who run tutorials are foreign. I will quickly say that I don't have a problem with this at all, they are generally superb lecturers and they obviously knwo there stuff. What I do have a problem with is that they assign a post-grad to teach the tutorials who is evidently not cut out for it. My tutorial group and the woman teaching suffered for an hour trying to understand one another which inevitable led to the difficult subject we were covering being clear as mud. Oh well, it's sunny, so I don't care.
It's just occured to me that wherever you are, it could be raining, snowing or blowing a gale. In which case you damn well deserve it, Manchester will take your usual good weather for once.
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
Something Charitable
Hello all, and if reading from Queensland then, well, best of luck.
Just a small post, mainly as I have nothing interesting to add on previous posts. Ahh the mundane life of a student...
Anyway, a friend of mine is raising money to climb Mt. Everest for the fantastic charity of Childreach International. He's a great guy and it's for a good cause so I just thought that if anyone feels particularly generous today or if you have bundles of cash that you just don't know what to do with, then you might be inclined to donate. I know I myself am not normally charitable but I think it's such a massive thing to undertake and I want to see it all succeed.
For more information, and to donate, here's the link:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=fahimclimbseverest
Thank you if you support, if not, then thank you for reading my blog.
Best of luck mate.
Just a small post, mainly as I have nothing interesting to add on previous posts. Ahh the mundane life of a student...
Anyway, a friend of mine is raising money to climb Mt. Everest for the fantastic charity of Childreach International. He's a great guy and it's for a good cause so I just thought that if anyone feels particularly generous today or if you have bundles of cash that you just don't know what to do with, then you might be inclined to donate. I know I myself am not normally charitable but I think it's such a massive thing to undertake and I want to see it all succeed.
For more information, and to donate, here's the link:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=fahimclimbseverest
Thank you if you support, if not, then thank you for reading my blog.
Best of luck mate.
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Negative Marking My Arse
I'd just like to open with an appeal to my, what appears to be, lone follower in Russia who has searched the url especially to read this. Care to leave a comment, just out of interest?
Anyway! My fellow university students, I share your pain. To anyone who doesn't know, the majority of universities have, over the last few weeks, inflicted exams upon us and from what I've seen so far, no one is safe. Some of the people I live with or see a lot who have put immense amounts of work into their studies and in all fairness deserve good grade, have found their tests truly grueling. I hope that you have pushed through and remember... there are always re-sits. I myself am well prepared to have a nice barbecue combined with intense cramming over summer when I miss the pass grade for my modules.
In some areas however, it's not so bad. Take today's exam for example: I only knew for definite the answers to three questions out of 35. Three for heavens sake. But in the overall scheme of things, with the help of two of my wonderful course mates, our combined coursework was such a high grade that we each only needed to get four correct answers to pass the module, so I can only pray that one of my 32 guesses was on the money.
Something which in my opinion is ridiculous and counter intuitive to everything we are taught through GCSE and A Level is 'negative marking'. For anyone ignorant as to the principle, as I was until this week, it means that for every wrong answer marks are subsequently deducted. Now, this might be fair enough in something like medicine because none of us wants a doctor who guesses at the right medication to give. But when it is used in a multiple choice grammar exam where the answers are all so similar and so you become confused, you are hesitant to go with your gut and you over think every answer therefore I believe ruling out less confident people from getting the top marks where they might be able to achieve them. Or maybe I'm just bitter because I didn't know the answers and would have liked to be able to guess in peace. We'll never know.
In any case, I shall be free from exams at 10.15 on Friday and it couldn't come any sooner. Chin up everyone. Unless you think you've failed? In which case I'd get your head down.
Anyway! My fellow university students, I share your pain. To anyone who doesn't know, the majority of universities have, over the last few weeks, inflicted exams upon us and from what I've seen so far, no one is safe. Some of the people I live with or see a lot who have put immense amounts of work into their studies and in all fairness deserve good grade, have found their tests truly grueling. I hope that you have pushed through and remember... there are always re-sits. I myself am well prepared to have a nice barbecue combined with intense cramming over summer when I miss the pass grade for my modules.
In some areas however, it's not so bad. Take today's exam for example: I only knew for definite the answers to three questions out of 35. Three for heavens sake. But in the overall scheme of things, with the help of two of my wonderful course mates, our combined coursework was such a high grade that we each only needed to get four correct answers to pass the module, so I can only pray that one of my 32 guesses was on the money.
Something which in my opinion is ridiculous and counter intuitive to everything we are taught through GCSE and A Level is 'negative marking'. For anyone ignorant as to the principle, as I was until this week, it means that for every wrong answer marks are subsequently deducted. Now, this might be fair enough in something like medicine because none of us wants a doctor who guesses at the right medication to give. But when it is used in a multiple choice grammar exam where the answers are all so similar and so you become confused, you are hesitant to go with your gut and you over think every answer therefore I believe ruling out less confident people from getting the top marks where they might be able to achieve them. Or maybe I'm just bitter because I didn't know the answers and would have liked to be able to guess in peace. We'll never know.
In any case, I shall be free from exams at 10.15 on Friday and it couldn't come any sooner. Chin up everyone. Unless you think you've failed? In which case I'd get your head down.
Monday, 17 January 2011
New Year - Same Old Tea and Biscuits
Hello one and all, welcome back after the Christmas and New Year period. I'm sure you've all missed my sporadic insights into life over the past month.
Firstly, I would like to dedicate this - little as it is - to Dave Strong who we very sadly lost early into the new year and to his family who have lived up to their names and more. He was a great man who I admired for his whole ethic towards how he lived his life and he's an example many people could learn from.
So. I myself have just returned to University, said hello to everyone and exchanged stories of the holidays and began unpacking. As usual I find myself procrastinating, with little wish to put my bedding on and all that jazz. But then taking up a place in front of the computer I've realised just how little there is to be doing. After being home for the longest time since being at University it's odd to come back to the silence which is my room and the contained world within. As usual I find myself writing to you to quench the boredom.But, whilst on the subject of being back, I'm resolved this semester to do a damn sight more work than I did in the first one (but lets be fair, that shouldn't be too difficult).
The time off though was much welcomed, and it was nice to see those that I haven't in a while. A lot has happened in the past month really, some of it very good, and some of it very sad. I've witnessed some incredible bravery and some inspirational strength of character whilst becoming a very lucky man in the process of it all.
Now of course I have the great fun of exams, for which I am woefully unprepared and thinking maybe I should have listened more, but oh well, I'm sure it'll be fine. I imagine that I am by no means in this boat by myself and those of you reading this will know who you are. (Not you Fahim, you're the student equivalent of a pack horse with the amount you do).
Anyway! I really should form my room into some semblance of order. Or I could go make another cup of tea?
Firstly, I would like to dedicate this - little as it is - to Dave Strong who we very sadly lost early into the new year and to his family who have lived up to their names and more. He was a great man who I admired for his whole ethic towards how he lived his life and he's an example many people could learn from.
So. I myself have just returned to University, said hello to everyone and exchanged stories of the holidays and began unpacking. As usual I find myself procrastinating, with little wish to put my bedding on and all that jazz. But then taking up a place in front of the computer I've realised just how little there is to be doing. After being home for the longest time since being at University it's odd to come back to the silence which is my room and the contained world within. As usual I find myself writing to you to quench the boredom.But, whilst on the subject of being back, I'm resolved this semester to do a damn sight more work than I did in the first one (but lets be fair, that shouldn't be too difficult).
The time off though was much welcomed, and it was nice to see those that I haven't in a while. A lot has happened in the past month really, some of it very good, and some of it very sad. I've witnessed some incredible bravery and some inspirational strength of character whilst becoming a very lucky man in the process of it all.
Now of course I have the great fun of exams, for which I am woefully unprepared and thinking maybe I should have listened more, but oh well, I'm sure it'll be fine. I imagine that I am by no means in this boat by myself and those of you reading this will know who you are. (Not you Fahim, you're the student equivalent of a pack horse with the amount you do).
Anyway! I really should form my room into some semblance of order. Or I could go make another cup of tea?
Thursday, 9 December 2010
Not a Sport, but a Lifestyle
Suffice to say, with regards to University, this has not been a productive work. I have spent this week either on the mat, in the pub or lying in bed aching. The main reason for this is the life consuming commitment which is Jitsu, and the run up to a grading. I don't wish to bore you so I shan't talk at length on the subject don't worry, but just so you all get the gist, I deem it of importance. And I would wholeheartedly suggest anyone with the vaguest interest in martial arts to try it, so long as you don't mind a bit of pain.
Anyway, the snow seems to have vacated this area of the country thank god. No doubt we shall see it return, but hopefully after Christmas. Wouldn't it be a shame if they had to postpone exams... We live in hope!
Speaking of which, Christmas is nearly here! This time last year I had bought and written all my cards etc. and had most of my Christmas shopping done. This year however, I have not. I promise, next week, to get myself into gear and crack on. I hope everyone is excited, if not, why not? And it best be a good reason. I intend to eat my body weight in food and spend January trying to lose it again.
It will also be good to see friends from home again, who are at the moment scattered across the country (and in some cases, other countries). We'll see what drinking through fresher's week has done to harden some peoples livers. We commented to a friend currently studying in Scotland that he has to come home whether snowed in or not, his suggestion that he would make it home if he had to ride a horse back did worry me somewhat with regards to his safety. A man on horseback riding out of Scotland to reach somewhere towards central England? The longbows would be out in no time. Freedom! - Again, anyone who didn't understand that, hang your head in shame and go watch a few historically inaccurate films.
I hope to get another post to you before Christmas, if I find anything to write about, or if I have the time in my oh so busy schedule. But if not, Merry Christmas.
Oh, and a note to all those grading on Saturday - Best of luck, try not to break anything, and I apologise if I break anything of yours. Apart from you Sean, you don't need luck - you'll just need an ambulance...
Anyway, the snow seems to have vacated this area of the country thank god. No doubt we shall see it return, but hopefully after Christmas. Wouldn't it be a shame if they had to postpone exams... We live in hope!
Speaking of which, Christmas is nearly here! This time last year I had bought and written all my cards etc. and had most of my Christmas shopping done. This year however, I have not. I promise, next week, to get myself into gear and crack on. I hope everyone is excited, if not, why not? And it best be a good reason. I intend to eat my body weight in food and spend January trying to lose it again.
It will also be good to see friends from home again, who are at the moment scattered across the country (and in some cases, other countries). We'll see what drinking through fresher's week has done to harden some peoples livers. We commented to a friend currently studying in Scotland that he has to come home whether snowed in or not, his suggestion that he would make it home if he had to ride a horse back did worry me somewhat with regards to his safety. A man on horseback riding out of Scotland to reach somewhere towards central England? The longbows would be out in no time. Freedom! - Again, anyone who didn't understand that, hang your head in shame and go watch a few historically inaccurate films.
I hope to get another post to you before Christmas, if I find anything to write about, or if I have the time in my oh so busy schedule. But if not, Merry Christmas.
Oh, and a note to all those grading on Saturday - Best of luck, try not to break anything, and I apologise if I break anything of yours. Apart from you Sean, you don't need luck - you'll just need an ambulance...
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