Blurty for Sharon. View: User Info. View: Friends. View: Calendar. View: Website (Steorra.net). View: Memories. You're looking at 20 entries, after skipping 20 newer ones. Missed some entries? Then simply jump back 20 entries or forward 20 entries.

Thursday, April 6th, 2006

Subject: eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Time: 1:06 pm. Mood: giddy.

I'm so exicted at the moment I could be sick! This morning I've bought tickets to see two of my favourite bands, The Divine Comedy and The Futureheads, during the same week in May. I was also reminded that inbetween those two concerts I have tickets to see Dylan Moran. That is going to be the best week EVER! And the cherry on top of the incredibly rich and yummy cake is that I'm going to see my current obsession, We Are Scientists, this weekend. Once again my life is full and fun! If only I was at home so I could crank up Decent Days and Nights and do some of the Footloose-style dancing it always inspires me to.....

Flying Inside?: reach for the stars.

Subject: The Yays! Boos! and Arghs! of a Tuesday morning in Sharonland Time: 1:34 pm. Mood: dorky.

Once more I am stuck at work with nothing to do (well, except shushing people who are being too loud). I've been occupying my time so far today with random web surfage and attempting to book an appointment to get my hair cut. It's become a rather annoying and lengthy ordeal as each time I call the phone alternatively rings out or is engaged. Grrr. It's not doing great things for my calm. All I ask is for someone to answer just once, that's not much really...... Adding to my frustrations is the fact that I think I'm going to have to snitch on one of the fellow supervisors in the library. She spent all of last night working on her PhD thesis, ignoring the big pile of tasks sitting next to her. I don't mind people doing that if it's quiet, but when there's work to be done it severely pisses me off, especially when one of the other members of staff confirmed this is the norm with said supervisor. So I guess I'll be putting my tell-tale hat on this evening. When did I start caring about this job? But finally there was some good news amongst the boredom and frustrations of this morning, I received an email detailing the release dates of the next Divine Comedy album and tour details. Yay! Yay! and triple Yay! And they're playing here at the Uni, how wonderfully convenient, now I just have to persuade someone to go with me........

Flying Inside?: 1 shooting star - reach for the stars.

Subject: I hate job applications! Time: 8:07 pm. Mood: sore. Music: Jack Johnson - Banana Pancakes.

I've been working on a job application today (for an awesome Digital Archivist position) and my hand is beginning to cramp from having to write loads in as teeny, tiny script as I can manage. To say the form is thorough is an understatement. They want to know all of my high school qualifications and full details of Undergraduate and Postgraduate study. That doesn't sound too bad, but they want details of all of the subjects I've studied and when. For me this is: 8 Standard Grades (including year and grade) 6 Highers (year and grade) 3 Certificates of Sixth Year Study (year and grade) Undergrad subjects (two subjects that were 1st and 2nd year only and 11 honours subjects) 1st Postgrad (dissertation topic and details of 9 courses) 2nd Postgrad (proposed dissertation topic, 4 courses already undertaken and 2 still to do) That's 47 things to cover! And I've not even got to filling out the work experience yet....... My poor wee hand.

Flying Inside?: 8 shooting stars - reach for the stars.

Subject: So, updates...... Time: 3:14 pm. Mood: pleased.

I guess I'll begin with my studies since they're the most important draw on my time. Everything seems to be ticking over reasonably well in this department. It's bloody hard work, and I've had to ask for a little leeway with a couple of deadlines, but overall it's pretty good. My marks aren't stellar but I'm maintaining a solid B/B+ average which I'm pretty happy with given my limited time for studying. Also I'm enjoying the subject more and more as my understanding of it has increased. This term has been particularly interesting with its emphasis on electronic records management and digital curation. Most of the people in my class are absolutely petrified of the digital curation course. They all want to get into the traditional form of archiving, looking after old books and papers. They look at me like I'm crazy whenever I say I find the subject really interesting, I guess that means more jobs for me then ;o). It's actually getting close to the end of this academic year and I'll be able to rest my brain for a while. Just 4 more weeks of classes after the easter break (and 3 more essays to write......) and I'll be finished for the summer. Next year should be a breeaze compared to this one with only half the classes. I will need to start thinking about dissertation topics at some point but I'm going to put that off for now. So to sum it all up: study = good

Flying Inside?: 2 shooting stars - reach for the stars.

Subject: hello, hello! Time: 12:10 pm. Mood: bored.

So I've managed to do it again, disappear and not update properly for ages. Ooops. I'd like to say it's because I've been living a glamorous, jet-set lifestyle but sadly the truth is far more mundane. The pattern of my average week runs something like: work, study, sleep, study, work, study, sleep, work, work, sleep, ad infinitum....... I don't know where I got the notion that working full-time and studying part-time was a good idea but at least I can say that I'm rarely without something to do. Except today, where I find myself working at the Uni's Student Information Desk with NOTHING to fill my time. It's easter break here and most of the students are off home to enjoy creature comforts at their parent's houses rather than coming in to bother me with their inane questions. Which will probably mean an increase in posting from me over the next couple of days. I'll might even have time to reply to all of those entries that you guys make ;o). I have been keeping up with my reading of journals though so, even though you've not seem me, I've been watching you........ More to follow soon.......

Flying Inside?: 6 shooting stars - reach for the stars.

Subject: Gah! Time: 4:42 pm. Mood: guilty. Music: Fountains of Wayne - Hey Julie.

This weekend is meant to be all about writing an essay for me, but I seem to be doing a very good job of not writing it. Damn it. I have never researched an essay as thoroughly before in my life. I have never known what I wanted to write more clearly before in my life. I actually almost enjoyed doing the reading for it. Yet I'm still managing to revel in my world class procrastinating skills like every other time I try to write an essay. I started well, 620 words in an hour and 20 minutes. Since then? Nothing.....

Flying Inside?: 1 shooting star - reach for the stars.

Subject: eeeeeeeeee! Time: 1:22 pm. Mood: ecstatic. Music: KT Tunstall - Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.

( Hair today, gone tomorrow..... )

Flying Inside?: 14 shooting stars - reach for the stars.

Subject: I am afloat on a sea of calm........ Time: 12:15 pm. Mood: stressed.

........I am afloat on a sea of calm [/repeat until murderous tendencies subside] This weekend was largely a write-off. I had a Clerks day on Saturday ('I'm not supposed to be here today') when I was called in to cover for someone who was off sick. Normally I would have said no, but if I hadn't gone in I'd have left the staff with only a wildly incompetent manager in charge, so I had to go in to play supervisor. By the time I got home I was knackered (working in a library, at least an academic one, is surprisingly hard work) yet managed to get roped in to making a pot of chilli for me, my brother and 2 friends. After that all I was up to was drinking a large bottle of hoegaarden and watching the latest installment of Lost. After an good night's sleep it was up again for my regular Sunday shift. Never have 8 hours passed so slowly. By the time I got home it was just food, red wine and BAFTA-watching (they managed to only mildly annoy and I always love Stephen Fry....) for me. Ahhhh, the rock and roll lifestyle I lead. The beginning of the week has yet to see any improvement on this form. It took me 35 minutes to do the normal 8 minute drive to work and then I've spent all morning coralling overexcited members of the Uni's International Society. My head may explode any second. The wonderful irony is that I'm wanting to stomp on a bunch of foreign students on the first day of the Uni's Equality and Diversity week. Go me! Anyhoo soon I'll be leaving for my quiet little office in the library where book processing will, for once, seem like a welcome change......

Flying Inside?: 4 shooting stars - reach for the stars.

Subject: You're not supposed to know..... Time: 4:52 pm. Mood: ditzy. Music: We Are Scientists - Textbook.

I really need to stop over-thinking every situation and decision that presents itself. Or else my brain may explode. A simple reply to an email should not take 30 mins to draft (before I decide not to send it.....). It's not even anything important. In other news I am addicted to We Are Scientists.

Flying Inside?: 1 shooting star - reach for the stars.

Subject: Enough already! Time: 5:00 pm. Mood: blah.

Hello all, it's been a while...... Well, I'm glad to say that the emotional turmoil of late 2005 seems to have passed. Sadly the world has now decided to punish my physical wellbeing instead. So far 2006 has seen Sharon with Shingles, Sharon with Sinusitis, Sharon with a shredded immune system and now Sharon having a traumatic wisdom tooth extraction. The actual pain of it wasn't quite as bad as I expected but the experience was infinitely worse. Let's just say that I went into shock when I got out of the dentist's surgery (good thing I only live 20m across the road.....) Not much else to say at the moment apart from listing my lovely maladies, 2 weeks off work and then the insanity of the first week of term have left me with little of note to recount. I did watch Secretary last night, 'twas somewhat disturbing but absolutely excellent :o) Later gators.

Flying Inside?: 4 shooting stars - reach for the stars.

Subject: Since I didn't have time to send Christmas cards this year... Time: 8:22 pm. Mood: Very Merry.

Flying Inside?: 3 shooting stars - reach for the stars.

Subject: I always said I had a male brain..... Time: 9:53 am.

Masculine You scored 73 masculinity and 40 femininity! You scored high on masculinity and low on femininity. You have a traditionally masculine personality. My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 75% on masculinity You scored higher than 8% on femininity Link: The Bem Sex Role Inventory Test written by weirdscience on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Flying Inside?: 5 shooting stars - reach for the stars.

Subject: Christmas Meme.... Time: 1:24 pm. Mood: bouncy. Music: Christmas carols in my head.

The first meme of my making, inspired by decorating our office and dedicated to my favourite Christmas nut, eileen: Favourite Christmas Songs: Favourite traditional carol: Favourite 50s/Swing-type Christmas song: (Feel free to come up with a better term for this category....) Favourite modern Christmas song: and a bonus: Favourite Christmas movie: My answers: Favourite Christmas Songs: Favourite traditional carol: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (I love that it sounds vaguely sinister....) Favourite 50s/Swing-type Christmas song: Winter Wonderland Favourite modern Christmas song: Fairytale of New York and a bonus: Favourite Christmas movie: Elf (I love me some Will Ferrell) Now you must all answer this in your own journals or I'll cry *wink*.

Flying Inside?: 1 shooting star - reach for the stars.

Subject: Students are SO stupid...... Time: 10:53 am. Mood: working. Music: traffic and computers and gibbering students......

The first student that came to the desk today insisted that there were things waiting for her to pick up from us. Now the only thing we ever give out is information (hence the name 'the student information desk'). I asked if she was sure she was in the right place. She said yes. I asked if she could tell me the instructions she been given. She said 'to come here'. Evetually I manage to coax it out of here that she was told to go to the 'Square'. This is the building I'm working in today. The McMillan ROUND Reading Room. Did she think we called it 'the Square' out of a sense of irony? *rolls eyes* She was soon dispatched off to her proper destination.......

Flying Inside?: 5 shooting stars - reach for the stars.

Subject: Brrrrrrr...... Time: 5:15 pm. Mood: cold. Music: Badly Drawn Boy - The Shining.

OK, I'm sooooo over this being cold thing. About the only time I feel warm at the moment is in bed, and dammit I'm not even getting to spend a decent amount of time in there thanks to extreme busy-ness. I'm meant to be writing a long overdue essay at the moment but can't concentrate because of the shivering and my frozen nose. And as for what it's doing for my skin, ick! It's like I'm either growing scales or being attacked with a cheese grater in my sleep. Just a few degrees warmer, that's all I ask, I'm not looking for the tropics! *goes to put on another jumper*

Flying Inside?: 2 shooting stars - reach for the stars.

Subject: Stupid Presentation Time: 2:29 pm. Mood: frustrated. Music: Zero 7 - Warm Sound.

I've spent most of my day so far researching data privacy/protection in the USA and Canada for a presentation I have to give on Monday. Some of you will have seen my post about this on the WD. Well, all I can say is that, in respect to this issue in particular, I'm VERY glad I'm not American. I had a little difficulty finding the info I needed about Canada but at least I found from the outset that there was legislation in place and it was under serious consideration by government and private companies. After about an hour of searching I found everything I was looking for on the pages of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and in a couple of scholarly articles. As for the US, I'm still looking. Everything I've read suggests that there is no real legal provision, that it's unlikely there will be any for some time, and that in the meantime the government in letting businesses handle the issue how they see fit. Any real debate seems to have only been prompted by the European Union's policies relating to the transmission of data internationally between and within companies. My mind boggles at this. With the amount of data that is flying around out there about each of us, particularly in the days of increased government snooping, do folks not worry about their rights when there are no real provisions in place to protect them? It's all very scary biscuits. And bloody hell is it making writing this presentation a pain in the arse......

Flying Inside?: 9 shooting stars - reach for the stars.

Subject: QI Time: 11:48 pm. Mood: flirty. Music: The Coral - Dreaming of You.

It's a show that shares a lot of qualities with my ideal man. It's sharp and intelligent but also ridiculous and silly. And most importantly it makes laugh until I can barely breathe. Stephen Fry and Alan Davies have helped me through many a stressful time. An entry of more substance to follow, I promise. Once the essay-finishing beer-drinking celebrations are over........

Flying Inside?: 5 shooting stars - reach for the stars.

Subject: Idiots! Time: 10:22 pm. Mood: annoyed. Music: Muse - Hysteria.

I HATE talking to people from my bank on the phone. I believe they are trained so that their sole purpose in life is to be as annoying and obtuse as possible. Tonight while cancelling a credit card protection plan (that I'd ALREADY cancelled once before) I was treated to the hard sell from a wanker who managed to mispronounce my name not once, not twice, but six times. Each occasion in an entirely different and increasingly bizarre way. Fuckwit. I am now going to relax after this and my 12 hour day with a large glass of beer and some strawberries and extra thick cream......

Flying Inside?: 3 shooting stars - reach for the stars.

Blurty for Sharon. View: User Info. View: Friends. View: Calendar. View: Website (Steorra.net). View: Memories. You're looking at 20 entries, after skipping 20 newer ones. Missed some entries? Then simply jump back 20 entries or forward 20 entries.