Minä istun iloissani ja annan surun huilata

Mä rakastan sua, Heikki! Onnittelut! :-)

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:19:20 GMT

Fuck yeah! Waking up the the soft breath of your ~~ultra~~ fine boyfriend, with the warm Saturday sunshine and the smell of coffee filtering through your window and then having Heikki Kovalainen finish first in the F1 qualifying makes for a good Saturday! :-) Matt and I watched it, the qualifying, this morning after we woke up. Matt is going to the actual race tomorrow and my hero, Heikki, is setting off from pole position. Matt won't be with either of the drivers we like, Heikki and Lewis Hamilton respectively, Matt will be going to see Alonso, but don't say anything. I totally curse Matt for getting me excited about the F1. I was jumping around screaming in my pyjamas when Heiki was first, but Räikkönen, who Matt and I both dislike for various reasons (even if Kimi is the coolest name ever), overtook him. Good old Heikki managed to get the pole position in the end though, but stupid Kimi Räikkönen is setting off from third position. Fuck sake. Matt is very annoyed that Hamilton who was in the top three for most of the qualifying laps ended up sixth, but my Heikki is my hero for pulling upto the challenge as he did. The last couple of days, I've been a bit disillusioned with my life as a whole. I was very upset and down after arguments with Matt, and a good, hard think about my current state of affairs, and I asked myself, why don't I give as much time to chemistry as I do to languages? And why do I devote so much of my time to a language that so few people speak? Then I saw this:

And it all made sense for me again. Mä nautin oppiminen-suomesta hyvin paljon! It's nice to have a challenge with a language for once. Although my French (the language I studied the longest (just because of school)) and Turkish are far from perfect, everyone was amazed at how quickly I picked the languages up. Ezgi was very impressed that I could converse with her after about 3 weeks of me learning Turkish. But now I'm sounding arrogant. Anyway, I won't talk about feeling sad because after a few texts from friends, a nice e-mail from an old friend, and some quality time with my family I feel much better. My mum, her boyfriend and I will be having a nice relaxing night together later (despite the current time). Also, I'm terrible, I know, but to those people I promised letters they are coming, I PROMISE, but you have no idea how busy I have been recently. And also, to those people whose addresses I asked for because I wanted to start writing to you, I lost them all. You can re-send if you like, but LJ decided to delete all my private messages. I'd love to write to you all. I love post letters, but it's considered so old fashioned here. I'll get into the hang of organising my time properly. I will.

Tomorrow, my work is hosting a family fun day, but I really just want to stay home and do my own things, rather than follow everyone else around like a lost sheep. I don't have many friends at work, and I think my constant presence tomorrow would have a negative effect. I haven't had a minute to myself all week because I've been working, then Matt came on Friday night. I need time to do my geeky thing of learning Finnish and reading about Roman springs. By the way, does anyone know the Finnish word for 'stepping stones'?

Toiset sano yhtä ja toiset toista

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:41:23 GMT

I'm so lifeless at the moment. My days consist of waking up just as the sun is peeking over the hills to the south east. I commute into the city with my mum. I sit at my desk. I organise couriers to Latvia and Lithuania. I take calls and channel them to the relevant people. I flirt with the two hot PA girls. I do my best to try and get on with the other six employees who are all about my age (I don't succeed). I have my lunch on my own. I come back to my desk. I organise internal post. I order chemical catalogues for myself off the internet. I get abuse off my eBay customers. I get bitchy phonecalls from the directors of the company. I get angry chemists coming to me to tell me the woes of their lab because 'I understand them'. I clean my desk. I lock the doors. I commute home with my mum. I wash up. I eat. I do an hour of Finnish, watch some TV, do some LiveJournaling, call Matt for an hour, and am back in my room to watch some TV on my laptop or to read before the evening glow of the sun is even orange. I go to sleep. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. Now for instance, it is 21h30, it still looks like mid-afternoon outside. My weekdays are all monotonous mono mono mono mono monotonous.

My weekends however are all booked up for at least six weeks. I have a reunion trip of my best friend and some friends from college when we will go to a Safari park, Matt and I are going camping. Matt and I will be going camping in the Lake District, Matt, Genna, her boyfriend and I will be having a weekender in Liverpool (but this will be after payday!), Matt's dad will be getting married (to the Filipina), and I think I'll be joining them for the reception (lol), a weekend with some of Matt's oldest friends and a reunion with my colleagues from the job I had while I was at college - 'cos that job just rocked SO HARD! After this is too far in advance to plan, but I have it all to look forward to. I suppose having weekends that are so fun filled will spur me on during the week to get to the weekend faster. The only problem is, that this weekend, Matt and I were supposed to be going somewhere, but Matt's dad surprised him with tickets to the F1 at Silverstone, and from Matt's dad's connections, Matt will probably be sitting in the cars of Hamilton, Räikkönen (sp) and Heikki Kovalainen. I guess I could go to Huddersfield/Bradford to see Nikki and James, but they wouldn't come to Manchester to see me, so I don't know if I can be arsed. Especially since Nikki hasn't bothered to call me since the end of exams. Isn't that six or seven weeks ago? Anyway, Matt's sister has called me, Matt and her boyfriend her favourite people. I was touched.

Aurinko paistaa mun toimistoni ikkunoiden kautta

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:58:05 GMT

OUDOT AJATUKSET OVAT MUN PÄÄSSÄNI. AURINGONSÄTEET RYSÄHTÄVÄT MUN TOIMISTONI IKKUNOIDEN KAUTTA. MÄ OON TODELLA IKÄVYSTYNYT! SEKSIKÄS KAVERI TOIMISTOSSA TOIMII MUN EDESSÄNI TÄNÄÄN. MUN IKÄVYSTYMISENI ON HÄVINNYT ULOS IKKUNASTA, NOUSTEN, AURINGONSÄTEET... :-)

Peilipallo pyörii, Lämpötila nousee

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 20:30:05 GMT

I'm absolutely fucked. I have had the best weekend in too long. I had to be convinced by Matt to go out with his sister, her chavtastic boyfriend (who is actually one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet!) and his even more chavtastc friends, but I am so glad I went, I had a fucking amazing time. Last night we guys went out in Wigan which has a reputation for being rough as arse-holes, but is one of the best nights you can have in England (outside London and Manchester), and it was. The music, apart from in the first club we enetered, was top. Exactly my taste, so easy to dance. Sia from Zero7 was even in Liquid for a short while and sang some awesome tunes. We all watched on in horror as the DJs got some women to lick English (uber hot) mustard from the bellies of really hairy men, just to get a free shot. We laughed about it afterwards. We got the nightbus back to Jamies in Up Holland, which was fun, but Jamie ran ahead to get it to wait for us, while we thought he was still in the club. Jamie phoned Genna, saying it would only wait two more minutes, so I had to run, linking Genna, who was running like a bitch, all the way to the bus stop. I couldn't stop laughing. We stayed at Jamie's place (Matt's sister's boyfriend), and got back about five this morning. I'm pissed off though, we had some amazing pictures on my camera, but I've left my camera at Matt's, so I can't share any pictures (including one of Matt's sister and I in oversize glasses in the 80's club - Reflex!).

Intemit: OK, whilst Matt was watchinfg Flubber before, I had a flash of inspiration greater than ever before. I want to write a tone poem based around nothing yet written, entitled Tuntematon Automaton (The Unknown Automaton), of the title, I impressed myself with the aliphony between the two words. The title isn't in Finnish because of my "obsession", but it sounds impressive right? Well basically, if I can find a poet/writer who wants to write the accompanying text, I want to write the music for love story between a woman and an automaton ~~(more than likely a robot), they are happy, and they live a life filled with love, but while the woman ages, the robot doesn't.~~ ~~She dies, and the robot is left alone for eternity.~~ I know it sounds totally overdone and probably a bit bizarre, but this is an idea forming in my head. The story will be fine tuned, and I'm currently thinking up ways of representing all this musically (i.e. the woman and the robot share the same love theme, but hers is dramatic and overdone, whereas his, is the same tune, but flat, lifeless, and barely any emotion). My music tends to be really dark and brooding, so I think this "empty" music will be a nice challenge for me. But, I post this because honest opinions about this story, the title etc are greatly appreciated. I can't ask anyone here, because writing music is sad, and all I do is write a few notes down. Do people not understand how much goes into writing 15 minutes of orchestral music? ~~Anyway, let me know what you think. Please~~.

Sorry I have nothing to share, I have to go to bed soon, another 06h00 start for me tomorrow, and for the next five days. Don't you just envy my new lifestyle?

Minä otin puraisun taivasta, ja se oli hankala

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:47:51 GMT

Today's weather has been awful. The rain thundered away on the ceiling of my work building, but since childhood, I have found the quiet roar of the rain quite comforting. At least I didn't have to go out in it. I think I have settled in nicely to work. I made only one mistake today, and it was probably more because it was early and I hadn't properly woken up. My line manager said everything is going fine, and was offering me training, and said there is a possibility I will be able to participate in some chemistry work if I can prove I'm upto it. One of the drug discovery scientists said I can also have a careers meeting with them soon, seeing as drug discovery and medicinal chemistry are two of my five favoured career paths (the fifth being a pipe-dream of EU Translator). Things seem to be getting better. Payday tomorrow, so we (being all the really cool people) are going to the pub after work to celebrate, so there is my chance to really get down with some of them and make some friends so that I don't have to eat lunch on my own. I had to write a letter to Ezgi in my lunch hour today, and I was dreading them seeing that I was writing in Turkish, because it's headlines news here if someone can say three lines of Spanish or French, so imagine the [~~negative]~~ reaction I would get if they knew I spoke Turkish.... And worse yet - Finnish, Latin and Hebrew! :-0 I'm dreading the day they all find out. Apologies to everyone if I'm being slow replying, but my days are now very long and full to bursting point with working and commuting into the big bad (Oh so wonderful) city, so the only time I have to LJ is when I get home and I'm tired and hungry, and otherwise occupied. Please don't think I've lost interest or don't care. I'll get to commenting on all your entries really soon. And for those people who are waiting for letters, I'm writing them over the weekend, and putting them into the post on Monday at work. Shh!

This weekend Matt and I will be going back to Nottingham to get yet more stuff. Lord knows where my new stuff is going to go. But I think I'm going to IKEA in the near future to get some storage things and a shelf for Miles so he can live on my wall instead of my floor. I might post pictures of my home bedroom soon, because it's the first bedroom I've had in any of the eight houses I've lived in that is truly mine, and the first that is nice. When my mum and step dad were still together, I had to suffice with a single bed, wardrobe with only one door and a table too small to work on. But I managed, and look at me now. Linguistic millionaire, friend to many, son of a mother who is finally enjoying her life, and man of a very nice house that he, his mother and his mothers boyfriend can be proud of.

When not being a PR Prince today, I have mostly been fantasising about doing unspeakable things with Heikki Kovalainen. It's so wierd. He's by no means ugly, but he's also by no means super model material. He looks a lot like Adam though. Oh Heikki - Minä rakastaisin sinua. Even better, at least it's not Stephen Fry any more! :-)

Hiili paloi, ja tervaa levitettiin kultaharkkojen yläpuolella

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:57:33 GMT

Well today went as well as can be expected. Been given a tour of a building I've visted many, many times, I was told about Chemistry things as if I was a nobody, I was given the worlds most boring task, I was trained by my mum's half brother, and my boss took me to Starbucks. Waking up at 06h00 this morning nearly killed me, but I was surprised by how easy I found it. Mum shouted me and I practically jumped out of bed and landed in the bathroom! Working 08h00 to 17h00 is tough, but the fact that I've already been given this months (this weeks in actuality) has made me smile, and realise this is totally worth it.I'm listening to 'Zero to Hero' in Finnish and amusing myself by being surprised at how much I can piece together. Suurista ken nyt taas onkaan suurin? HERKULES! Jo kuuletko? Nyt päitä kuulin! HERKULES!

I was getting quite upset as I was falling asleep last night because this sudden wave of nostalgia washed over me, and I felt like a beached whale. All I could do was lie there in pain, bearing the brunt of these waves. I was ~~fondly~~ remembering the time I spent with Adam, my old best friend. The best friend I have ever had, and the first person I was ever truly open with. I never understood our friendship from his point of view, I never got to find out. When I left for university, I received lots of promises of visits, letters and calls from him. All I got was ignored. Then out of the blue in March he called me, said he wanted to be friends again, and that he only ignored me because his girlfriend wasn't comfortable with him being bisexual so he had to cut out anyone who knew. Being a sap, I told him I would meet him for a drink, but he stood me up. I was sad. I can't help but miss him. It's pathetic and stupid, but what I wouldn't do for one more day drinking Pimms by the water with him in the sun, basking in the obvious sexual tension between us. This is why I have my new friends. Better friends in parts than Adam was in a whole. And what I wouldn't do to have them all together, in the sun.

Ei halu halaamalla lähde

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 21:38:37 GMT

I'm listening to some powerful Shostakovich and some soothing Prokofiev (yes, strangely enough!), and all I can think about is wanting to write music again! :-( But it is beyond my means. I have no piano to compose on, and even if I did, the acceptable hours I can play it will be spent at my job. GRRR! Curse my unfathomable desire to create. I think this might just be my shortest entry ever. I'm going to go and shower before work tomorrow, and read on the Finnish fifth infinitive before bed. I'm such an odd child.

Minä näin Atlantin Valtameri-Tähden pudotuksen minulla

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:41:00 GMT

Well, it has been one hectic week for me. After I posted on Monday evening, (which you weren't supposed to comment on by the way), Matt and I woke up and caught the train to London. It was on the whole a relaxing two and a quarter hours; I was doing Finnish work, learning how to use some cases and the third infinitive and things. Matt read Auto Trader. When we arrived in London, we went straight to our hotel. which was exactly what we paid for. Nothing flash, but we were by no means unable to stay in that room. After that, London was open to us. The weather was beautiful - sunny, but with some white cloud cover. We went on HMS Belfast - a WWII cruiser that has been restored. I was really creeped out in some of the rooms because they were filled with mannequins to recreate the scenario of being out at war. The hospital wing was creepiest because they also filled the rooms with smells to make the experience more vivid. The hospital wing smelt very strongly of anaesthetic, the living quarters smelt of cologne etc. You get the idea. After that, we did explore London. In our remaining time there, we went into the Houses of Parliament and saw Prime Ministers questions, saw Buckingham Palace and saw Tower Bridge being raised, which was the only thing I had never seen before. I was only there to show Matt around, so it was nice to see something new. On our last day there, we went into the British Museum and was absolutely thrilled to be able to make sense of hieroglyphs on coffins and stelae all around me. I also regained my passion for Assyrian art, and was totally enamoured with cuneiform. I really had to stop myself from buying a copy of Peter Rabbit in Hieroglyphs. All in all, Matt and I had an absolutely fantastic time, especially considering we only had about £60 each.

So, now that I've bored you all with my progress, I can give you the good news that I start work tomorrow with my mum. Well, not directly with her, but in the same company. £240 a week for a minimum of five weeks, with the possibility of the position being extended into September. 08h00 to 17h00 everyday, but the money makes this worth it... This should be the ticket.

I'm looking forward to catching up with you all, I haven't been able to read my f-page in nearly a week, so that should make for interesting reading, Hopefully, you've all enjoyed your week as much as I have. Getting back into LiveJournal should be a simple task, and I'm hoping to be able to post everyday from now on. I'm now in Manchester for the summer, with the exception of a weekend of camping with Matt, and a day back in Nottingham to get the rest of my things. I have all my essentials, favourite pictures, teddies and books with me (too many books already - I need to buy a new shelf!) Ugh - I'm dreading all the new people I'll have to meet, locations to find, and mistakes to make tomorrow. I can't wait until I'm in the swing of things at work too. Hopefully by July, I'll have a nice routine going, where work, LJ and Matt and my friends all form a nice equal pie chart of my priorities.

I'm currently writing this as Matt watches Heikki Kovalainen and Lewis Hamilton in the French Grand Prix. Fun fun fun.

Dieu et Mon Droit, Honi Soit qui Mal y Pense

Stolen from soda_dreamer

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:47:08 GMT

For while I am away... Leave a comment saying so and I will:
a) tell you why I friended you,
b) associate you with something - fandom, a song, a color, a photo, etc.,
c) tell you something I like about you,
d) tell you a memory I have of you,
e) ask something I've always wanted to know about you,
f) tell you my favorite user pic of yours,
g) in return, you must post this in your LJ Please comment on the post below, as I will want to delete this one.

Have a good week!

Puinen tähti ja paperi-kuu

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:16:02 GMT

It's time to say a temporary good bye. Later today Matt and I will be setting off back to Nottingham where tomorrow we will get our bargain-grabbing train tickets to London. We should be there by about 14h00 tomorrow and get back at 01h00 on Friday after a prestigious photography exhibition, that no doubt Elton John, with all his penchant for photography will be attending. Matt was telling me the story of how Elton John was at the Tate Modern when Matt was there, and he looked at a £90,000 Helmut Newton and just said "Yeah, I'll take it!". Some people have too much money.

My mum just phoned and said there is perhaps a job going with her after all, but once again, they need to confirm it with upper management. My mum's place has such poor communication. As if my day wasn't busy enough, I now need to go in to see them at some point. Aside from travelling time to Manchester, I also need two changes of costume, pack my things for London, go get some money, see my grandmother (if she is in) shower and shave before Matt picks me up. Just as I start to feel at home again, I'm whisked to another city for the greater part of a week! Which reminds me, I need to write (let alone send) a few letters, and a book to a guy from eBay who should have got it over a week ago. It totally slipped my mind.

Have some Latin poetry that goes well with a summers day such as this:

Ille mi par esse deo videtur, ille, si fas est, superare divos, qui sedens adversus identidem te spectat et audit dulce ridentem, misero quod omnis eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te, Lesbia aspexi, nihil est super mi lingua sed torpet, tennuis sub artus flamma demanat, sonitu suopte tintinant aures, gemina teguntur lumina nocte.

And have a lovely forest + sun picture to start all your days (except for my Finnish, Turkish and Russian friends, where its already mid-day!) I hope you all have a fantastic week, and I can't wait to catch up with you all when I get back! Have a good one! :-D xx

Here is a translation of the Latin:

That man seems to me to be equal to a god, that man, if it is right to surpass the gods, who, sitting opposite look at you continually and hear you laughing sweetly, [something] that snatches every sense from wretched me, for as soon as I have looked at you Lesbia, no voice remains in my mouth, but [my] tongue is paralysed. A subtle flame runs down into [my] limbs, [my]ears ring with their own sound, [my] eyes are covered with double night.

Poika, joka käveli taivaaseen

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 21:15:56 GMT

EDIT: I hate to be a bastard but I came to the realisation that I 'socialise' with you lot on LiveJournal because we read and comment each others journals mutually. If we talk on msn, what will be the point of my journal? There would be no point. So anyone who has added me, we can talk by all means, but bear in mind I don't ever stay online for very long anymore, because I have finished university for the year. I look forward to chatting to you all, but please dont hate me if I'm not very responsive :-)
Matt left one of his "Planet Earth" DVD's here, which coincidentally was the forest episode, and I found a picture (below) of the perfect forest in my opinion. This is practically how I see it in my head when I think of happiness. Well, one of the things. Other things that make me happy I can't write on LJ. Some I can, such as the smell of my grandmother's perfume (Coco Mademoiselle), the smell of petrol, my friend Sam's laugh, Matts stomach, etc. etc. Anyway, this post was mostly to point all your attentions to my msn. Add me babies! :-D

Pilvet lipuvat, hyväntahtoinen, kuiskaten tuulahdusta

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 18:37:04 GMT

Today has been one of those days that were made to fill up the space on calendars. I have done nothing of consequence to anyone or myself. I woke up late, but with the reason that I finally caught up on all my sleep. I ate brunch with my Mum and Jamie, and then they ended up going back to bed out of quasi-illness. I pottered about downstairs for a bit. Then they went to do a food shop while I was on the phone to Matt. They left ages ago, and are still not back. I'm leaving soon to go out in Manchester for a short while to see my oldest friend, Rhianne, who has just come home from university, and will be leaving next week, which is also her birthday, to live in Runcorn for the summer to avoid her troubles at home. I wish I could stay longer, but I have no money and no ID. I will be seeing her very soon when we have the ultimate catch-up session.

I am very happy to be back in Manchester for the summer. I spent the time this afternoon getting my room just perfect, but it can only be like that while only half my possessions are here. The rest are still in Nottingham, and will be coming back next weekend. I will then have to find the space for it all. The joy. However, I am very much looking forward to seeing my [small] family over the next week, apart from when I am in London. Next Saturday is my second-cousin's baby's christening, so there is a family occasion we can all enjoy. Nothing really to report apart from Matt's prospective employer for the summer, his mum's boyfriend, saying he can't employ Matt because he doesn't know 'how comfortable he would be working with a gay guy'. Get it together, bumkins!! No other news, so have a picture from my bedroom window.

HÆC ŌTIA DEUS NŌBIS FĒCIT

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:32:01 GMT

I'm back in Manchester (!!!) but OMFG I am so tired. Yesterday I packed up half of my room and 60% of Matt's room and we came back to Manchester. It was a long, hard day. Matt stayed at mine last night, and this morning he took me to Liverpool to sort out my passport. We had to be awake at 06h00, which is sooo much earlier than we are both are used to, and flying down the M62 at that time wasn't my idea of heaven, but my appointment was at 08h00, so it was necessary. All that commotion about panicking and rushing to get forms completed on time, and to be punctual to the office... and for what? I waited for my number to be called for about 10 minutes, then I was called, she had a scan through my forms et al. and then was all, "Right, that's OK, just go to the cashier to pay". I was stumped. Matt was telling me it could take upto 40 minutes. So by the time we had had a coffee and a sit down (we basically got to Liverpool 10 minutes before I was due to be seen, so we had to run right the way across town) - it was still before 09h00 and nowhere was open.

We waited around for the Liverpool museum to open, which was alright. It was really aimed at school children though, and the artefacts on exhibit seemed a bit hotch-potch. For instance, in the space section, there was a rocket, an X-ray detector, about 50 telescopes and a [model?] Sputnik (which actually made my day. Sputnik 1 was cute!!). Anyway, in the ancient cultures, I managed to find some texts in original Latin and Hieroglyphs. I was totally proud of myself when I could read the hieroglyphic inscription! (Many inscriptions follow set formulae where only names and other parts are changed, but still!) We also visited Albert Dock, and The Cavern Club (but omg James, d'you remember on 'This Morning' when the guy used to do his weather report on that floating model UK? It's gone!!) Matt and I came back, and had a nap. We were totally unprepared for this morning. He's just set off back to his now. Next week, however, he has the work experience I mentioned, and I will be chaperoning/accompanying him during commuter times, giving me the rest of the day to myself. (As geeky as it is, I think I will spend an afternoon collecting inscriptions from mummies, sarcophagi (sp?) etc. as well as some Latin hopefully.) On the subject of Latin, I hadn't used it for ages, but was amazed that I could still tell Matt what "HÆC OTIA DEUS NOBIS FECIT" meant, (God made this leisure for us), which was set around the dome of Liverpool town hall, which also contained Nelson's sword, which made Matt's day. I'm so excited for London. Expect pictures. Also, I'm going to add one of the Latin gravestones I copied down, because as far as my meagre Latin skills can ascertain, it is the gravestone of a baby girl and something about her tongue. I'm sure you're all waiting on tip-toes :-D

Incidentally, one piece of knowledge that made me smile, was that the British lion has the name: Thunderer. How cool!
Upd: Here is the gravestone, (which I did not translate on my own):

IVLIA MISSA POLO CELO Q:REMISSA · TR IMESTRIS PRO H · DOLORO O CVBVIO MIHI VITA BREVIS DELITE PATRIE SAONE NSIS GAVIDA RISVS BLESSA EVI QUID SI LINGULA PLENA FORTET
[I], Julia, sent from heaven and sent back to the skies died, aged three months. How short was my life, the delight of the land of Soissons. Joy, laughter; I lisped, what if my tiny tongue were complete?

VALERIAME PRISCA: VIXIT DELICATISSIMA ANNXXIII, MATER FILIAE FECIT
Valerie Prisca who lived in great delight for 23 years. [Her] mother made this for her daughter.

Hän sanoi: "Antakaa pilvien kadota", sit aurinko paistoi

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:09:16 GMT

I am sunburnt. Oh my God, my arms are aching. They're really red on one side, and practically the colour of Scandinavian snow on the other. What a nightmare. All my face is really red, but everyone says that it is just the start of a fantastic tan, rather than Matt's, which everyone thinks is sunburn, bless him. We spent the day sunbathing in the park at the end of Matt's street. Matt was reading the Jeremy Clarkson book I got him for Christmas, and I, being the infernal nerd I am, had to read my Finnish textbook, because Matt said he wanted us to read together, but that was the only book I had with me because I was studying last night. At least I learnt about the uses of the illative and allative when talking about telephone numbers and calls. [Mä soitan Liisalle and Soita mulle tähän numeroon]. Anyway, after that we went for a coke at a canalside bar, which was a mistake, because the sight of all the barges/narrowboats going past made Matt start up with his boat obsession again. But today it had an effect on me. We both came to the realisation that we are both more than likely be working in London and Greater London respectively after we graduate, but the rent would be way to much for us both, so why not buy a nice barge and pay the mooring fee rather than council tax? Surely that would work out cheaper? We're both looking into it. But all afternoon we have been talking about waking up on a sunny morning with our Jack Russel, Binky, or our Pug, Achilles, (one of the two) to sausage sandwiches and a leisurely trip down the canal to a pub for a pint of cider or something. Theres no reason why two twenty-somethings can't do that. Not in my opinion anyway. :-)

It is an exciting time for us right now, if I put my immediate money problems aside. A week from now, Matt and I will be in London. Matt will be on work experience in a gallery setting up for a photography exhibition, and I'm going to serve a dual function. A) to keep him company, and B) to show him his way around London (because Matt has only been once before, and I know it like the back of my hand, and even that one time Matt has been, I was showing him the way), bless. After that, Matt let slip the other day that once we both start working, we will go camping in the Lake District for a weekend. Now these are my ideas of a good time. Not spending much money (save for the money spent on petrol), and just spending quality time together. I will find out tomorrow or Thursday if I got the job at my mum's place. Tomorrow I will also have to tell my 'landlord' (of sorts), that my already six week late rent will have to be another two and a bit weeks late. He's gonna bollock my tits off, but what can I do? I will have to be a man about it. This summer is all about growing up, and taking a more adult view on things. Suck it up, Tom.

It is 22h00, and there is still a golden glow in the sky near the horizon, which surreally blends into a deep, dark blue. Listening to the last five minutes of Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony while watching the band of gold on the horizon get thinner and thinner is certainly a way to make your heart beat faster.

EI ENÄÄ AURINKOA!

Tammenterhoa katsottiin, männynneulaset, ja hymyili

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 17:04:15 GMT

I had a whole massive long entry here, but despite it's length, it contained nothing of worth. I had a crazy weekend, which included driving for an hour to Leamington Spa, and looking through pubs and clubs there searching for mine and Matt's friend's boyfriend. Staying up late to comfort her as she desperately seeked his affirmation of affection for her. Going to photography exhibitions (Please check out Laura Carey (under ABC) and Scarlett Hindle (ibid.) because they were the best. They were the exhibits of recent graduates from BA Hons Photography at Nottingham Trent. The exhibitions are at various locations spread right across the city and bring together three years of work. A lot were totally rubbish, and there was an incredibly large gap to the better ones. And my God, the amazing ones were fucking amazing. It was nice to spend a day in the sun, walking around to these different shows all around the city with Matt, and discussing the strong and weak points of each of the pieces we had just viewed. That night I was meant to spend it alone, having some much needed alone time while Matt went out with an old friend. But I received late night phone calls from them that gave way to eight mile walks at two in the morning with two drunk young men, and staying awake until 08h00 playing Wii with a rabbit called Eevie. I'm back at mine now; exhausted. Catching up with all you LJ-folk now.

For several years now, I've had this unbridled urge to create something, which hasn't always been easy, considering all of my academic life has been focussed around science, and most people I have come into contact with academically don't think scientists should create something arty. But in my wild furies of creation over the years, I have composed the music for two one-act ballets and a piano concerto, I have tried my hand at novel writing and poetry. I'm still currently dabbling in conlanging (and I'd like to think that I'm not doing too badly), and desperately want to get back to finish my unfinished third ballet (and add flesh to the bones of the other two I planned), but it is beyond my means for the moment. But it has been a constant source of confusion for me, because none of these projects have ever come to fruition. Is there a reason for this? (Apart from the obvious answer that whatever I have created has been worthless.) I guess, the point I'm trying to get across here, is that I have so much going on in my head all the time, but I don't have the time to make anything of the ideas that soar around in there. I have ideas for pieces of music, poems, operas, TV shows, novels etc. Alongside trying to achieve an MSci Chemistry [with Medicinal Chemistry], and learning god-knows-how-many languages (I think this is also very stupid of me), where does this need to express my creativity fit in? I guess I should stop learning languages to talk to my friends in their mother tongues, but I have a valid reason for this. I hate English. It's diabolical; and I don't see why my friends should have to speak to me in English, when I am more than capable of speaking to them in Turkish, Finnish, Russian or whatever. (But am I capable?) I don't think I am being very clear here, but I doubt anyone is reading this far, so I know that at least I can understand it. [I apologise now for this middle paragraph].

Meidän Pitäisi Olla Tähtiä

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:12:16 GMT

I really should learn how to change the HTML of my posts on my own, because everytime I post, I have to copy and paste <font size="2" face="Times"> in lol. Anyway, I don't have much to talk about to be quite honest. Remember when I thought I had my money thing sorted? Well I don't, the bank cancelled what they were going to lend me, so Matt, in all his glory came to my rescue and is going to make everything OK again, and if not, then I have the back-up of my grandad which I really don't want to use unless I have to. I'm at Matt's right now. He's currently in uni giving his final crit of the year to his tutors and classmates. He text me about half an hour ago saying it has all gone perfectly; I'm so happy for him. He'll be back soon, and I will be able to give him a big hug for all his hard work. Later I will be going back to mine to welcome back Nikki and James. They called me from their Hotel room last night, and James has bought a set of bag-pipes that I am eager to try out. Apparently they had some random Dutch tourists telling him he was breathing wrong when he set up and impromptu concert on a park bench.

Hopefully everything will be sorted soon. I'm a lot calmer than I usually am about these sort of things. A text off my mum this morning saying "We might have a job for you [here at my bioscience company], just gotta wait for the big cheese to give the green light" kinda helped too. I'm getting beside myself with excitement for my new housemates too! The third girl added me on FaceBook, but I am yet to say anything to her, and the other guy is out of the country, so I won't add him just yet. But they seem to have such a wicked time. Maybe I'll finally have a wicked time with people too! :-)

And just for good measure, have a picture of my hamster...

Happosateen pisarat putosivat ruosteisista metallisista pilvistä

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:28:21 GMT

The sun is shining, the clouds are a brilliant white, set against a mesmerising azure backdrop. The trees are swaying in the light breeze, and the flowers are sighing in the rising heat. There is the distinct sound of an ice-cream van outside, and the cries of children playing. I walked through the city centre earlier today, and there was the smell of coffee, alcohol, ice, spray water (from the fountain and lido thing) and the smell of the sun. It's Summer baby. Finally. The past week or so has been so dull and miserable, yet all through those miserable weeks I was happy, yet yesterday just made me miserable, and now I'm just in some sort of emotional limbo with the sun blaring through my window. The smell of sandalwood from me burning incense last night clings to the air in my room. James and Nikki, two of my best friends (I'll explain below), and I had to watch them leave excitedly on a trip to Edinburgh I was meant to go on. I don't have the money at the minute, but I will have it in a week or so, but they simply couldn't wait, and left without me. They even had the audacity to say I had let them down, and they were disappointed in me for not going. That was really cruel in my opinion. We three argued, and all made up. But the hurt is still there.

Ezgi has been in Nottingham since Saturday, and will remain here until tomorrow, then she is back for another week or so on Saturday. Yet she still has not come to see James or I. Though it did make me smile that I asked Nikki if she had been to see Ezgi yet (Nikki was at home over the weekend), she shrugged and passed over the subject. That is going to put her in Ezgi's bad books lol.

I was at a bar last night. First time in a long time. Matt brought his old himbo friend Wayne, who I was totally indifferent about, until last night. Previously, I had only met him in a club, and heard stories about him sleeping with old business men to get jobs or whatever. But being in a smaller environment with him, only three of us, and having normal conversation opened my eyes, and I think he is a proper decent guy. I was never judging a book by his cover, I just knew, from what I thought to be true, that we wouldn't get on. But there the three of us were, after we were kicked out of the bar (not for being naughty, the bar closed lol), with Wayne begging Matt and I to go back to his and stay, drink wine and have a few spliffs (Neither Matt nor I do weed), but Matt still has work so we passed the offer up. In the future another time maybe. It was a good night regardless. Matt's Portuguese drag-queen friend, Sergio, was running the bar last night. He is so funny. He was calling Matt's housemate (Tanya, Spanish, oof) a "silly cow, that's just bad isn't it?" (because she thought her boyfriend of 8 months was coming on too strong because he cupped her breasts while kissing her). Something about "silly cow, that's bad isn't it?" in a Portuguese accent made my night.

Remember I'm moving into a five bed house with four strangers? Well there are two girls who are staying from this year (one of whom owns the house, the other is her mate), but I've just found out who the other two are. One is a second year guy, not sure what course, and the other is a third year girl on mechanical engineering. I just want to move in now :-)

I'm currently at mine getting more clothes and toiletries, 'cos I'm gonna stay at Matt's until the weekend. No point being here. I don't have any plans for the weekend, perhaps we will sell our underwear via vending machines to suicidal Tokyo businessmen. That's the life.

TE LÖYDÄTTE VAHVUUDEN TARVITSETTE, JOTA JALOSTA VERESTÄ, JOKA VIRTAA SUONIENNE LÄVITSE.
I hope this is correct! Correction from dimou. Kiitos. Siiri, stop being so nice, seriously XD

Sudenkorento kysyi minulta: "Näettekö te kaiken, mikä on tärkeää?"

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:36:40 GMT

I would first like to start with an apology for my absence, you've all been writing away in my absence and I will catch up with all your journals and comments I promise. Last exam was on Friday so I am now a free agent, apart from desperately needed a job to buy food which I am sorely lacking. Anyway, I've been gone mostly because of end of year exams - stupid fucking chemistry and wonderful, lovely Biblical Hebrew. Actually no, come to crunch time, I preferred Chemistry. I think I really ballsed my Hebrew translation up, and my exam went less than perfect. I forgot the construct form of "horse". Damn. Anyway, after exams finished, I went to help Matt with his essay's (Matt doesn't have exams, he has assessed coursework which is due in in just over a week), so I was proofing those for him and ended up staying there a few nights! Anyway, before I carry on chronologically.... Ezgi and I are reconciled! How Amazing!! It turns out she wasn't annoyed at me, she was just having some troubles of her own, which, was rather selfish of me in hindsight, but who gives a fuck about hindsight when your bestfriend is back by your side!

(Above are my two best friends and I: Ezgi and James) So she has returned for multiple reasons. Firstly to stay with her sister for a few weeks in connection with the troubles she has been having in London, to see James, Nikki, Matt and I, and for the Nottingham Summer Party, which was quite an anti-climax. It was on Saturday afternoon until early morning. I got there at four with Matt and James and stayed until eight. What a rip-off. Poor Matt had to pay £30 to get in! The drinks were over-priced, the music was wank, and it was overcrowded. We left. Thankfully. Things are really back to normal. After we left, Matt and I went for some "alone time", and were going to go to Matts to see his housemates, but Matts car keys were left in Ozge (Ezgi's sister)'s bag, so we had to wait for them to come back. When we did, Ezgi and Ozge were alone in Ozge's room, Matt and I walked in (also parched because the only thing I had to drink was a six-pack of coke in Ozge's room in my bag (it's complicated)) so we were relieved... Don't worry I am getting to how it is just like old times!... So we were there for about 45 minutes just laughing and joking about the holiday in Turkey last summer, and how we should do it again this summer. I would kill to go back to Istanbul and Bodrum this summer. I want to see Ezgi's mum again... she is such a legend. "İstanbul boğazı... masmavi... Thames Londra'da.... öyyy"

I have also been asked to make a movie where I speak a few lines of English, Finnish, Turkish, Hebrew (and unfortunately Russian). Would this sparkle with everyone? :-) Anyway, I'm about to go and abuse all your journals (that I can read), so expect mass commentage. See you soon kiddies.

Matt and Ezgi

Matt screamed like a girl on the waltzers.

I love this picture.

Thankyou siirihead for the re-titling of this entry.

Hyvää Syntskää Minun Ystäväni!

Fri, 30 May 2008 14:21:20 GMT

Paljon onnea vaan,
Paljon onnea vaan,
Paljon onnea Armi,
Paljon onnea vaan!
Hyvää Syntskää Minun Ystäväni! :-)
xx
dimou

ЭТО ЕЩЁ ЦВЕТОЧКИ, А ЯГОДКИ ВПЕРЕДИ

Wed, 28 May 2008 17:12:57 GMT

I want Ezgi. I want her here by my side. I want to tell her jokes, and talk about how Turkey is so much better than England, about how the Bosphorus is just too blue for words, about how olive oil and a small amount of lemon juice on bread is "Ugh Perfection!". I want to be able to chase her around the fields at university. I want to smoke with her .I want her to recite Atatürks Youth of Turkey address to me in an uncharacteristically deep voice. I want her to laugh at the baby pictures on my wall. I want to stay up late with her, I want to laugh with her at getting james to read Turkish. I want to tell her I miss her. I want to tell her I love her.

Bunun için gereken güç, damarlarındaki soylu kanda vardır!
The strength you shall need exists in the noble blood flowing through your veins.
(James reads this as: Buğnuğn ikin girken guğk damarlarindaki soyluğ kandağ vağdiğr lol)

The title? These are just flowers; berries will come soon.

БЕРЕЖЁНОГО БОГ БЕРЕЖЁТ

Sun, 25 May 2008 18:00:49 GMT

I am having a wonderful time back home. The first time I am seeing my mum for a long time, and its been fun. We haven't even been doing anything exciting, I guess quality time is enjoyable however you spend it. Yesterday we mowed the garden, but had to stop because the strimmer I was using caught fire. It was even nicer because it is the first time in my life I have ever had a house with a garden to maintain.We also visted my aunt's, who after 12 years is finally punishing my bitch of a cousin, who I adore, but really does need to be punished. I spent so many hours talking with mr_m0rphine which brought us amazingly close in such a short time. Big up Cашa! Today, my mum and I went shopping, only for an hour, and spent the evening with our projects. She was making a costume for a fancy dress bar rally, and I was wrapping presents, well I was meant to, but I spent that time getting upto date with my f-list on my laptop on the floor next to her. We ate together and watched Wallace and Gromit which was so lovely. I have pegged the washing out, and there is a strong woody smell hanging on the air like a heavily perfumed smudge. We are now watchng Scrubs together while we wait for Shrek 2 to come on. We are both too poor to do anything. Mum's boyfriend, Jamie, is camping in Anglesey at the minute, but this is the first time since I started this year at university that I have been here the weekend without him here, which is wierd, but also kinda cool. I like Jamie, he's really cool, but it's nice to have my mum back to myself, just like old times. Matt will be calling me soon to say if we are going back to Nottingham tonight or tomorrow. Nikki Kauser called, we spoke about her birthday, and she was unnaturally optimistic about our plans for the rest of the week, despite James being a total losing, which I will explain another time. All in all, this weekend has been lovely, and the coming week is set to be good as well :-)

Cашa introduced me to a Soviet animation from the 70's called Ёжик в Тумане (The Hedgehog in the Fog), which contains a quote that has changed my view on life:

Кто ж кроме тебя звезды-то считать будет?! (Who other than you knows how to count the stars!?)

And the title of this entry? God helps those who help themself.
Thats what I'm talking about!

Жизнь короткá, а дел мнóго

Fri, 23 May 2008 11:41:43 GMT

I'm going home today! I finally get to spend a weekend with my family, not that they ever call me or e-mail me despite the 120 mile gap between us, the only ones that ever have are my cousins, who, lets face it, have been more like my brothers and sisters through growing up together. I don't have the money or the time to go and see my friends, most of whom are still at uni anyway, so I will be spending the weekend in Manchester with my mum, where I also need to buy a present for Nikki Kauser, (I have already ordered her Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Urdu) because her 21st is Sunday - a day earlier than the predicted Monday. Shit. Anyway, James and I are planning a small party for her later in the week, a small, intimate affair. I'm not sure how she is going to deal with not having a massive party with all her friends there, because she is a bit spoilt, and her mammoth number of friends is out of the capabilities of me and James. Things are gonna get messy.

Ben çam ağacının altına oturdum

Wed, 21 May 2008 18:19:11 GMT

Please check out my new profile, or check out this picture, which is the bit that needs checking. I'm sure the words in Finnish and Turkish are wrong somewhere. Do you think it summarises me well? Can anyone think of anything else to add in Finnish or Turkish? Anyway, not really got much to report. I had job interviews this week, or what I thought were job interviews, turned out they just wanted me to be part of their companies *sigh*. Also Sanya has made me want to restart Russian which is really burning my soul at the minute. I was in the bookshop yesterday and bought a Russian book (a very handsome book) but in my haste to leave I bought the advanced version. So I will have to go back and buy a more beginners one soon, but I don't want to take the Advanced one back!

Bir de Türkler, bunu hakkında... Tüm Türk kadınlar şiddetli ve gururlu mu? Biz hâlâ konuşmuyoruz. I am also going to get round to replying to comments, and making my own on all your entries, I just need a day to myself instead of being with Matt, and when I'm not with him, he's calling me and MSN'ing me. Good sweet Jesus.

Minun Kieli/Kielieni Kasvun Historia

Mon, 19 May 2008 20:41:36 GMT

I have been asked several times recently, particularly in reference to my post in which I posted pictures of my bookshelf, about my linguistic history. It is a very geeky history, or at least it would be to my non LJ-friends, but seeing as though an overwhelming majority of my LJ-friends are either self-confessed linguaphiles themselves, or have at least learnt one language, then I don't feel any shame in sharing this tale with you.

So it would have been when I was about three or four, that I uttered my first words in another language. My grandma taught me a few words of French, and my fluent-in-Spanish grandfather taught me to say: "Hijo de tigre sale pintado.". These were only a few words. My proper linguistic experience started when I was seven. My grandfather was preparing for a trip to China, so was learning some Mandarin and some Cantonese (at the time I was seven, Hong Kong was still part of the UK). I was staying with him one weekend, and was listening to the tapes that came with the Pinyin coursebook. My grandfather was shocked to hear me talking back to the tape and saying "": without bragging, I had grasped the pronunciation and tonal system straightaway. In fact, I have been told by many people that one of my true gifts is foreign accents, in that I can always pronounce a foreign word totally properly (even if I struggle to say Vesihiisi sihisi hississä), so there was always an immediate advantage on my foreign language speaking skills. Chinese came to nothing, even if I borrowed the books and learnt a good few phrases and the ability for a short spoken converstation. However, my first taste of written chinese came the next year for my eighth birthday when I got a CD player, and the instructions came in Chinese. As pathetic as it was, I used to enjoy copying out the characters and trying my hardest to get the characters in proportion.

All through my time at primary school, I was obsessed with Maltese and would look at Maltese poems on the internet, but was too young to truly understand anything I learnt about the past-tense, gerunds or whatever. My linguistic world at that time consisted of Noun, Verb, Pronoun and Adjective. There was also a time where I learnt a small amount of Welsh after hearing it on a family holiday. I bought Mr. Barus (Mr Greedy) and a small welsh book while I was there. I still have them I was about 12, though, during the Welsh phase.

Anyway, when I was 10, I saw a set of GCSE German revision, and was fasinated by actually learning grammar of a language, and also by the letter ä. The next year, when I started secondary school, I prayed to be allocated to learn German, but I was assigned French, and I loved it. I studied for five years, and I'm going to stop being modest because this is one of my few talents, so I should be proud; I studied for five years and was head and shoulders above the rest of my peers. When it came to GCSE exams, I was the only one who could get my accent correct, and I was already beginning to read French books for 9-10 year olds. I messed up my exams by not getting the A* I deserved, because although my speaking was good, I am totally useless at thinking on the spot. So when my teacher asked me a question about French music, although I knew the French to express my thoughts on the subject, I froze and couldn't answer. I took French for a year at college and carried on improving. I could only take it for one year though because I couldn't fit it around my sciences in second year. My French skills have deteriorated badly through lack of use.

The year before my French GCSE, I rediscovered the joy of hanzi, or as I would soon be calling them Kanji. Japanese opened up a new light on my linguistic world. I still have a large interest in Japanese, just because there is so much that is lost when translating things like anime and manga, that would be so rewarding to read in the original. So much culture and history too. Anyway, Japanese carried on through college and into university, but I lost enthusiasm for it, when I was told there was no point learning it. I still have all my Japanese books, my favourite being "Japanese the Manga Way" which is such an interesting book to just sit and read, whether I want to learn the potential form of Japanese verbs or not.

University was a font of linguistic wealth for me. 40% of the total population of my university are exchange students - and 60% of that 40% are Chinese. I met Ezgi, the Turkish girl on my corridor, and instantly fell in love with her mother tongue, which 20 months on, remains my top priority language. It was also whilst I was here that I have fell in love with Hungarian (I own two books, but I just read and appreciate the logic rather than learn), Biblical Hebrew (which I have been learning), Finnish (which I have been doing my best to learn, but it is truly a wall) and Latin (which I have a foundation of, which I hope to build on in future years).

So what of the present? Well, when uni finishes for the summer, I will have no more formal lessons. I have ordered a book which is intended for this very purpose and gives me a reading exercise once a week to keep up my abilities. As for Turkish, I am hoping to earn enough over summer, especially with the new £120 return flights to Turkey to go and see Ezgi for a week, which will really boost my skills, and allow me to buy some more childrens books ( :-] ), and then my trip to Finland in either October or April. Sweet. That kind of ties in with the future. I have another three years at this university. I want to do things here that I won't be able to do once I leave. So. That means Biblical Hebrew every year (that is a must, but there are only three more Hebrew modules left, and then I'm free to read the Hebrew OT), more Latin, and some Ancient Greek would be nice. Modern languages are easy to learn, because they can be all around us. With the classical languages, I need them to be around me, and the only way I can do that is to learn them here.

Anyway, if you're still reading this, I commend you. Hopefully that has been an insight to some of you. I've got two interviews tomorrow for jobs. I'll update tomorrow.

The room, subjects and books of Tom

Sat, 17 May 2008 23:41:58 GMT

I'm spamming now. I am well aware. But I am home alone. Matt is at home doing his photography project shooting, James is at home seeing his mum for like the second time since Christmas, and Nikki is being a miserable bitch and not coming out of her room, sitting on the phone to one of two boyfriends; maybe both. I decided, since you all read about my daily goings on, that I might as well give some background as to where I do my Livejournal magic (i.e. my desk), what I do read when I'm not on LJ, who else occupies my room, things I have collected, and things I study. When I decided to do this post (which I actually started taking the pictures for about 45 mins ago (from now 00:16) (check the clock on the pics), I was thinking that people might maybe ask about something they've seen, so as starting conversation, and also broadening both persons horizons. I don't think I have any chemists on my f-list, so y'all can see what you missed out on, not doing chemistry at university. I couldn't be arsed Photoshopping them. I'm not being graded on my pictures, so as long as they convey what I want them to, which is my "personal space" then I think I have done alright. I'll probably end up deleting this, as it's a little bit loserish, geeky, sad, pathetic and pointless. Anyway, I shall start with my room :-)

^ So this is where the magic happens. Everything within easy reach, and everything meticulously organised. Notice that most of the pictures on the wall are of Ezgi and Matt (plus the one of my mum is prime place). Also note the customary coke can! :-)
Arnold was a birthday present. On his t-shirt, it says "What do you give an IDIOT for their birthday?" and on the back it sayd "A FROG!". Fuck knows where my mum got it, but its amazing, and so befitting. He is my favourite teddy.
Also notice how many language books I have compared to my chemistry books, which is soooo bad of me. Bad, Tom, bad!

^ After Matts exhibition finished, he said I could have some of the pictures, so I took some that are either nice of me (not in a vain, conceited way) and ones of me and my friends (the exhibition was about me (ill explain again in a future post or just ask me)), the hospital pic is when James was in hospital, and is me, Matt and James (on a drip) looking at a lightbox.

^ My windowsill is more like a shrine to my friends than anything else. Notice the time. I don't apologise for the reflection. I'm not going out of my way for 'pretty' pictures, so it doesn't matter if these aren't perfect. Anyway, it adds charm.

^ This is the shelf at the top of my bed, where my head is. The ghost is a night-light if you press his head, but I lost his charger when I moved house. The mole was a gift off Matt, and Matt is in a chicken frame because his pet-name is "chicken".

^ Some of my most important, favourite books! I don't learn Italian and German since secondary school, but the books are there because I am adopting the layout of them (notice they are the same series of books), because I am writing my own grammar books, and I like the layout of these books.

^ Latin and English side-by-side. I found this a wonderful (and entertaining) way to learn Latin.

^ A page from my college years photo album.

^ Another page. These pictures are actually the week before I came to university.

^ Oh, Wonderful, wonderful Chemistry books!

^ If anyone enjoys physical chemistry, they should be studied. I find it boring, pointless, and difficult for the sake of being difficult.

^ I love organic chemistry. I promise you that this isn't as complicated as it looks, and that it does make sense.

^ This I'm not sure I can promise. But this is why being in the sun is good for your skin (so long as you dont burn) [Sunlight on ergosterol gives vitamin d2]

^ Aaaaaaagh! QUANTUM MECHANICAL CHEMISTRY! RUN FOR YOUR FUCKING LIVES KIDDIES!
By the way, all of that just means that an atom spins. !________! for fucks sake.

^ Remember this diagram, kids. You'll be seeing it the rest of your lives. ¬_¬

^ One final word kiddies, If there is a low lying orbital of the correct symmetry.......... ¬_¬ I'm so sure you're all now deciding to do chemistry now. Haha.

Anyway, I hope somebody enjoys this. It's killed an hour and a half for me.