Recent Reflections

This weekend I took a brief visit back to Bournemouth, leaving London for a couple of days to visit the family and attend my friend's engagement party. I wouldn't normally head back so early into term, but it was a lovely opportunity to hang out with the mother and sister, and visit the coast. On Saturday we drove east to a local little market town called Lymington, and poked around in the stalls and shops. I bagged a bargain, and picked up a Hilary Mantel book for just a pound! and bought some beautiful prints of Dorset to remind me of home whilst at Uni.

Saturday evening was spent with friends celebrating the engagement of one of my oldest friends and her new fiancée  There was lots of pizza making, cake and charades. Very, very fun, and great to be together with people that aren't often in the same place at once.

Before I had to dash back to the City though, there was time for a quick trip over Hengistbury Head. Still one of my favourite places, with it's view over Bournemouth and Christchurch, the choppy sea, and the rows of beach huts. It is one of the things I miss most about living in East London where wide open spaces are hard to come by, and are inevitably surrounded by offices and ugly high-rise housing. 

Hengistbury Head, Bournemouth

I was fortunate enough to make a coach that got me back to London in time for church, which was just exceptional this week. The preach was all about stories - how our lives are stories, and yet we're invited to live a bigger story, a more exciting adventure, by becoming characters in God's story, in the great story of all the earth. Anything to do with literature is obviously going to get me from the start, but it was just the most beautiful look at the invitation God gives to his people to live as part of something that is so much bigger than any one individual. We were looking at a passage in the Gospels where Jesus calls the disciples, and I was blown away that he didn't offer them safety, or worldly security, but he did promise them adventure through a relationship with Him. 

The evening was finished off with some student training on working out what you want to do in life. Always helpful, and always needed. As a result, some friends and I grabbed some wine, some chocolate and our notebooks and went and chatted and dreamt about the lives we want to live. It was the best end to a lovely weekend. 

Wine and chocolate to inspire dreaming

And yet there was some incredibly sad news I heard over the past couple of days too. Not directly affecting me, but someone I'm very close to. And in amongst all my reflections on life, I've been faced with the unexpected, by the fact that life is not infinite, at least not in this world. And neither are we masters of it. 

In the face of all that, a quote from Lord of the Rings which was referenced in church on Sunday, has stuck with me. Our stories are always going to involve conflict, they would be very dull tales if they didn't, and yet in the face of conflict, there is hope; a promise of grace. 

“I thought you were dead! But then I thought I was dead myself! Is everything sad going to come untrue?” Samwise Gamgee speaking to Gandalf.

Three Weeks

I've been back in London for three weeks, and without internet for most of them. But, have no fear, the house is back in the land of the living, and speedy internet has allowed me to blog once again. 

Life has seemed more than a little busy recently, with a three day residential training session for the ParliaMentors programme I'm currently on, as well as returning to Uni and getting ready for some big student stuff I'm taking on with church this year. With all of that, as well as getting settled into our house (and being terribly grown up) I've felt a little overwhelmed, as much as I've been excited about being back in the city.

One of the best things, is that I now live only 15 minutes from one of my closest friends from home, and another friend has also moved to London and lives nearby! I believe I'm seeing them tomorrow for some quirky touristy things. 

I started lectures again this week, and have discovered that I'm going to be reading about four books a week. I'm not actually sure this is physically possible, so I'll keep you updated on that front....! I've also rekindled my love for Downton Abbey (I brought the box sets back to Uni when I popped home the other week) and these have been my much needed respite from the madness of life. It does mean however, that I feel I should be swanning about in evening gowns and gloves, getting married to a Lord, and scorning the Americans. I will overlook the fact I am part American in all of this. Still, it makes me much more inclined to speak 'properly', and act like a lady. This is something that doesn't happen very often when you live in a rather chilly student house. 

Anyhow, it's about time for bed. We're having house brunch in the morning (mainly as an excuse to use the plentiful bananas we've been collecting that are in need of cooking) and then I've got to go entertain myself with fun things whilst I still have the excuse my Uni books have yet to be delivered by Amazon.

Ta-ta for now darlings. xxx

Word Tackling is an Elusive Task

I am currently in the process of tackling two 3,000 word essays. It's not a fun process. Essentially, we decided this morning that uni work destroys any motivation you have for waking up, or for attempting to look nice. Plucking eyebrows, changing your clothes, the usual habits of a sociable creature, are forgotten in the desperation to just. keep. writing. 

As a result of said writing, I have been increasingly interested in all of the blogs, news articles, emails and and novels that I can read or submerge myself in, instead of occupying myself with a debate between Freud and Roland Barthes. 

One of my favourite ways to procrastinate is to create the best, and longest, playlist to accompany the 'hard work'. Yesterday I went through iTunes and enjoyed a lot of Bob Dylan, and a lot of Blue Roses. As you can guess, I got a bit stuck on the letter 'B'. Still, it was a good day.

This morning I set up a list of Phil Wickham songs, the kind I know very well so just form generic background noise whilst I write. One of the additional benefits is that Mr Wickham writes Christian stuff so his lyrics genuinely are quite an encouragement. So, whilst proof reading my essay, and attempting to delete at least 100 absolutely essential words, I caught a few lyrics of the song I was listening to. It was a bit of a surprise as I began to use my ears again. An amazing reminder that even when I'm babbling about the position of authors and readers, and creativity, there is a little more going on in life than just my degree. It somehow makes it all worthwhile, and a lot less stressful.

So, here we are...

Oh the glorious day when we arrive

And Heaven's gates are opened wide

All our fear and pain will fade away

When we see You

Face to face

Our Great and Awesome King

You will reign in brilliant light

Forever glorified

In Your city

And we Your daughters and Your sons

Will see the kingdom come

In Your city

Love will rain and joy will have no end

When the saints go marching in

God we pray that You come soon

'Cause we were made

To be with You

When we've been there for ten thousand years

Our song will be the same

Praise to the One who has brought us here

Jesus is His name

Jesus is His name

You will reign in brilliant light

Forever glorified

In Your city

We Your daughters and Your sons

Will see the kingdom come

In Your city, My city

This is Your city

My city

Napping Nightmare

For the first time in nearly three years I have become submerged in the trial that is the student revision, and exam period. A-Levels were quite a long time ago for me, yet I distinctly remember the sleepless nights and hibernation that occurred in an attempt to secure good grades. Fortunately it paid off, but y'know, they aren't quite so important any more, and instead I have a degree to contend with.

Now, I'm not trying to say that the first year of a degree is the end of the world, but, being the geek I am, I like to do well. It's come as a bit of a surprise therefore, that I once again find myself in that position where I am aware that I should be working ALL THE TIME. I'm not good at that. I like being social, I enjoy shopping, and coffee, and sight-seeing, and well it's my birthday soon too, and exams and essays are seriously hindering this.

Anyway, today I got up early and worked all morning, had a late lunch around 3pm and decided I wanted to read a book about dragons and elves rather than more literary theory on Roland Barthes. A worthy decision I'm sure you'll agree. So, equipped with tea and a good view of the City from my window, I opened my book. A few pages in I began to get drowsy, and not long after, I conceded that a nap was just going to happen, whether I wanted it to or not. 

Total mistake.

Awaking over an hour later, my hand imprinted on my face, a headache twisting my temples, and eyes blurred with confusion, my overwhelming thought was REGRET. This is not the first time such a napping nightmare has occurred, and I have reason to believe it won't be the last. Such is the life of a student.

So, after wasting a large amount of time, I am continuing to plan an essay...long into Friday evening. This most definitely hinders the desire to go and be sociable, or, make a nice dinner for that matter. And on that note, you have my advice: avoid napping at all costs. It's a temptation that totally ruins your day. 

Trust me, the desire to sleep is not equal to headache and blurry eyes. I just don't know how cats manage it!! xo