Exit Life Through Window

So I'm sat at Trev's, about to go out for food in Greenwich. I was at my parents' this morning, and now I'm in London, and next week I'm going back to my parents', and then coming back to London, and then going to Berlin... and with each of those I could have said 'going home to...' In fact, if I talk about Basingstoke, or the house I lived in last year and will live in next year here, I could say that to. So where is home? It's so confusing. I know that's something that's true for many students, because leaving your parents and going through the transition of uni is tough, but in my case that's compounded by the fact that I have to be in Berlin this year, and I've fallen in love, and my family is scattered across the globe (literally, if you count the New Zealanders...)

Meh. I like to know where I stand and right now I don't.

Oh, I'm so fed up with the lack of organisation at the Humboldt!! Or at least, the lack of communication. I've just now found the website where you're supposed to register for the end of module exams. Yes, the exams I did on Friday. The exams I only knew you had to register at all for two weeks before hand, and was given the impression that registering was just so that you would get the marks back, nothing urgent. Aaaaaagh.

Oh well, at least I'll know what to do next semester. I just hope I actually get my credits from this semester, because otherwise I'm screwed. Well, and will be making the biggest fuss possible, but that is a) stressful and b) not the point.

Sorry about the amount of postspam today, guys - this happens when I'm essay writing. Heh. I've just (very thoroughly) planned the second of my three essays. The plan is longer than the actual essay itself needs to be... I feel that this is probably a bad thing.

On the plus side, I have discovered the joys of Brewhaha Rose tea. My house mate let me try some, and I'm now on my fourth cup. I'm reduced to microwaving the water for it, too, because I blew up the kettle... oops! I'm gonna have to buy her some more, I think. I really, really want to buy a really pretty tea set now, as well. I think I may have to go to Harrods to buy the tea and splash out on a fancy tea set. Cos I'm posh like that. Well, only if I find a really pretty one. Otherwise I'll wait for the Christmas markets next year in Berlin. I'm SO looking forward to that. I'm gonna be sooooo broke!!

And now back to the grindstone.

Today's was that my mother has surprisingly more conservative views than I ever thought. Funny really, that just because she never thought to mention certain things she disapproves of, I grew up really very open-minded, and now I keep getting surprised when I bring things up in conversation that I have no problem with and she gets all conservative! Ah well. We all choose our own path sooner or later, I suppose.

I wrote a long and angst filled post about birthdays etc yesterday, and then realised that it was a load of wank that nobody (including myself in days to come) would want to read, so I got rid of it and set about something more productive instead. So I have had rather a good day, all told. I got to play the Sims for a bit (hurrah, I am such a geek) and worked out when I'm going to do all my essay reading over the next few days. I've just started brainstorming for the first of those now, and it's going quite well - the primary material's interesting, and the secondary material so far seems to have been written by very human people (and I do love reading academic stuff written 40 years ago - there's something very warm and fuzzy about the image of old professors wearing tweed and writing about the source author as if he's an old chum). So it should be fun.

My other aim for this weekend is to come up with some meaningful resolutions. I know a couple already, but I'm saving them for the 31st - it means more if I set them in stone then, I think. But I want some to do with personal aims - psychological development, relationship with others, widening my circle of friends and socialising - and some to do with on here - some kind of project I stick to, probably in fandom - and some to do with academia and career - songwriting, academic development, getting more "culture", the german play/singing lessons/music theatre review... anyways, I need to go through and clarify all of those into things I'll vow to stick to. I'm taking it seriously this year. I think it's time to.

On another note (and because everyone else seems to be doing it!) Christmas has been good to me :) I got lots of nice stuff - an 8GB Sony mp3 player (a lot better than an ipod - and it's all shiny and pretty and black! and it shows fireworks on the display screen!), a really good wok, which I needed desperately!, some artwork and a belt from my sis, and some nice stuff for my room at uni - a massive fan from the Pier for my wall, and a really cute ornament of a black cat looking down at a mouse. Plus I got some good books - Colin Thubron's Shadow of the Silk Road, a book on propaganda in the films of Stalin's Russia and Nazi Germany, and a digital photography guide. Oh, and the DVD of Pleasantville - such a good film! Trev bought me an absolutely gorgeous necklace whilst we were in Berlin, too (and a stuffed penguin! It's an in joke...) and I got the usual selection of chocolate and stuff... enough to keep me going for a while. So all has been good at home!

Speaking of Berlin, photos are here, if anyone's interested.

....I can't remember why I felt so happy. Stupid goldfish brain.


Oh, yeah, I remember now! I just made my budget for next year, and so long as all goes to plan in Berlin, I will have managed to spend only £80 over what I'd planned this year, and I'll have more money to spend next term, even WITH paying back my savings. Hurrah!

And I sorted things out with Trev :)

Have lots to do today still, so must dash... Berlin tomorrow!!