Birthday bumps!

2 down, 1 to go!

Hey, had Spanish writing this morning. Since talking to people afterwards, realised I messed up the essay a little bit content-wise. Since will still get marks for structure and language (and SOME content) and the essay itself was only worth 1.75% of my total degree (there were 4 equally weighted parts in the exam which was worth 7% of my total degree), I'm not too worried!

Have had very concerned invigilators in my exams so far! In French, I was continually sneezing my head off and blowing my nose, and the invigilator kept on asking me if I was ok and if I needed anything i.e. more tissues, and this morning I got the shock of my life when the invigilator told me I had been allocated extra time!

I told him he must have got the wrong person, so he checked the name against my smart card, and went to the front of the hall to get the main list to bring back to my desk to show me. Sure enough, someone had written a 't' next to my name on the printed list of candidates. I can only assume someone mistakenly put it next to my name instead of the person above or below me. Since I assured him I didnt need it, he told me I was, as far as he was concerned, entitled to it whether it was a mistake or not, so it was up to me whether I took it or not. Didnt need it anyway.

Anyway, the dossier to prepare for Spanish was all on Fidel (and Raul) Castro, the history of Cuban politics in general, Felipe Calderon, Hugo Chavez, and other Latin American political leaders/revolutionaries. The English-Spanish translation was a bitch - all about fossil fuels, ethanol, bio-ethanol pumps, flex fuel engines, sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sugar cane crop harvest and plantations. Had NOT predicted that! Consequently had to guess most of the core vocabulary. Spanish-English translation was on consumer spending, sales and marketing ploys.

French topic for dossier was the banlieue plan, planning to eradicate deliquency and unemployment in the Parisian suburbs - tackling education and training, employment, security, transport and rehabilitation. Not going to Simon's BBQ tonight, carrying on with mediopassive revision. Sex and the City was all sold out today so booked to go tomorrow. Had lunch, drink AND a coffee with Kate earlier, not done much else.

Here are some photos:

WILL GET PHOTOS ON HERE SOON!

Just uploaded photos of my birthday to facebook. Had fun watching the Eurovision Song Contest last night in amongst revision, got bored at the counting of the votes stage.

So last Saturday (17th) was the MLS Ball - amazing!!! That was after a stressfull-ish day blowing up helium balloons and carrying them there, attaching weights, and positiong place names, buying last minute table decorations cos got missed off internet order, whilst getting ready (I had a make-over at Fenwick and Anna and Jo spent three quarters of an hour curling my hair).

Had been to the Summer Swing Shindig the Monday before that. So my birthday was Tuesday, went to the Cluny for a drink with Simon then he came round for a cup of tea later on in our yard. Jo and Anna cooked us Thai green curry then they all gave me my presents (individual art pieces - even one by Steve!) and gave me the birthday bumps and there was a birthday cheesecake complete with candles from Morrisons! I hadnt expected anyhting on my actual birthday since Id organised studd for the following 2 nights. Later on, Anna entertained herself on singstar (karaoke) making up stupid lyrics to all the songs.

Wednesday was my French exam (first one), then went for quick drink at Pacific with Mary and the salsa crew before coming back to grab some pizzas before a few people came round for the Match - Anna was ecstatic that Man U won!!!! Then around midnight we headed out to Tup Tup, got to bed around 3.30 - which was ok for me as I had nothing to get up for, but felt bad for the others.

Thursday night was Tapas at El Coto - there were meant to be 19 of us, but Chris and Robin couldnt make it in the end - was good fun though! Am off to the Lounge tonight for salsa for the first time ever there! Watching Sex and the City the movie on Weds when it comes out, after my exam, and then on to a BBQ at Simon's. Its the others' degree show launch party on Friday, and parents and Mo and Angie will all be here next weekend!!! Only 9 days left in Newcastle now! (Which is why I cant be bothered to wash my bed linen again - its had its 2 weeks already and should be going in the wash this weekend!)

Streeeeeeeeessssssssss!

Now into 5th day of revision for History and Syntax of Spanish - still struggling to understand stuff, about to try practice essay. Am working so so so hard this semester and am not even confident about getting a 2:1 anymore. I've gone from being a comfortable ish one, to borderline - and Im not happy enough about the upcoming exams to feel I can push up my grade.

Why are firsts so hard to get in Modern Language?!? I'm not even aiming for one - never have been really, but it means that 2:1s seem hard to get also. Also, ball-planning for Saturday is underway. At some point tomo inbetween French dossier prep and this revision, I have to write out 219 place names, and then Friday morning is a goody bad production line meeting. Aaaaarrgh!

Still not made it to the Black Swan or Cooperage. Anna's bday night out was fun, saw Dirty Dancing (a free outdoor screening) at Monument last Sunday night - amazing! LBS Ball on Tuesday was soooooo much fun, even if I didnt have a ball dress and had to go in a cocktail dress! Got some really good profesional photos too.

Didnt go to Dance social at As You Like It, Intsoc social, Jo's friend's BBQ or Jess' BBQ on Weds night, but did go to the Bluebell pub quiz instead. On Thursday night I did 6 practice translations. Think have finished French lit essay (yes!) and have started on History and Syntax of Spanish revision - horrible horrible horrible - dont understand a thing! Got books out the library yesterday cos realised we ve not been taught anything we need to know...

Monday night we had a v brief impromptu karaoke session at home, last night I went Sequence dancing with the old grandpas - good fun, then back to Simon's for a glass of wine afterwards. Tonight Im off to the Lounge for Salsa for the first time ever, and tomorrow night I really want to go to the Swing Shindig, but really really really have to revise. Have organised bday celebrations on 21st/22nd - Osborne Road, Tapas, Tup Tup. Is the MLS ball this Saturday!

Right back to the books

Dont think am going to Cooperage tonight, is Anna Collins' bday night out tomo night so going to that instead. Plan on finishing my essay over this weekend, and maybe starting on History and Syntax revision. Was Anna's pre-degree show exhibition last Friday evening, which was fun - went back there with Open Door, her asylum-seeker project on Weds.

On Tues we won the Best Departmental Scoiety Award again AND the Accenture Society of the Year!!! Weds was Jo's bday night in the Bluebell, and had my Span writing mock yesterday - the translation mock on Tues was fine. Have been to Ikea today looking for table decorations for the ball, not done much else today, mind...

Soon to make plans for bday celebrations. Is the LBS ball on Tuesday