(Rachel) 'Kids are cool but getting there seems like a big, cosmic joke.'

Humphers,
(The title has nothing whatsoever to do with the matters discussed in this post...it's just a GG quote. =)

My, you replied fast! I am afraid that I cannot promise to reply as fast as you did all the time but I am aiming for a 36 hour turn around time. We'll see how it goes. Well....kinda failed already since it's been 4 days since you wrote but, I am determined for next time! (The following is what I started to write on Sunday) "Well, as we approach a new and exciting week, I am given to ponderings. These ponderings have often occurred on Sunday afternoons as I consider the exciting moments that await me in the coming week...the answer? Too much of the same thing..." (and now, I continue) READING. Mind you, along with reading, I had FHE on Monday night, Youth on Tuesday night, a choir practise tonight, my "appointment" tomorrow afternoon and institute in the evening, a great seminar on Friday, in which I am a WW1 solider (complete with a uniform with real military patches which I procured and will stitch on myself) and then IEUAN! =)

Jebs, I am SO sorry that I haven’t been able to write sooner. I have driven myself mad with my own silence so heaven knows how you must be feeling. Every day things happen that I think “I must write to Jess about that” and then, before you know it, it’s 11:30 and I am wrapped in my duvet enjoying a few minutes of being stationary....not something that has happened much this week so far. It has been good though- I’ve got a lot done. Week 7 of a 10 week term is usually melt-down point. Essays are due in a maximum of 3 weeks, and I have 2, plus dissertation deadlines to meet, plus copious reading for seminars. It’s not an easy bag of goodies to juggle but juggle I do! =) I am actually loving it all, really. I can’t tell you how interesting I find it all. Jess, if I could be a student forever and just spend my time learning, researching and writing then I would. I devised an essay question with my tutor today, based on my current research interests. The question we came up with is “What do romantic relationships tell us about changing gender identities in Total War.” DREAM! BOOM! It’s just like saying...talk to me about marriage and engagements in war time. Or tell me how women entering the military affected their relationships with their husbands. ALL the things I love- the role of women, romance and war! WHOOP! (NB. I do not love war itself....for those who think me a war-mongerer, rather, I find the social and technological changes wrought in a war-time climate interesting.) SO, in other words, life is pretty dandy.

As you may or may not be aware, I have the boy visiting this weekend. He is set to leave the moment Rob gets home from work on Friday and will drive straight up to me where, 4.5 hours later I will have dinner and freshly made biscuits waiting for him. Nigella Lawson? I think so! =) I am very excited to see him. I feel grateful that 2 years apart has meant that the regular 3 weeks apart are manageable but I do miss him terribly.

So, Snafs, what’s new with you? Your oyster card should arrive today...I really hope it does! I bet you are excited for your Liverpool expedition. You will love it. I have well and truly fallen for Liverpool. It’s just the most fantastic city! You will take some incredible pictures there. Riggers will have a field day!

On the subject of Rigsby and the Cho meister, I think we should make a tradition of mentioning them in some way in each blog post. Let’s face it...they are more than worthy of mentioning! The thing I would like to raise with you is the issue of their clothing. NOTHING makes me love them more than that. I love how, when they’re prepped for a bust-up/firefight, they wear nothing less than their suit trousers, their shirts (which, in Cho’s case particularly, are on the point of bursting at the seams!), ties and bullet proof vests. If that is not a mind-bomb, what is?

So, in this episode of "The life and thought processes of Rachel" I would like to mention money to you. Money. The precious invisible friend. My goodness, I understand why tithing is of such great import! I am currently using my overdraft sparingly until my HSBC account gets the monthly boost next week. I have to pay out for a TV license because...well...we have a TV and it's illegal to not have a TV license. £48 it's costing!! For £5 more, I could get a return to Ely!!!! For £10 more, I could come home! But no! I have to be law abiding. What is that about? Yes, money is currently the biggest bane of my life in so many ways. It's like holding sand in your hands during a tornado. When it's all over, you look down at your hands, hopeful that you managed to grasp tight enough...you look down and BOOM. Nada. It's all good though. I am very happy, I'm not dying, I am eating healthily and I am not spending frivolously so there is little else I can do. If you do happen to get whispers of anything I could do over Christmas, let me know.

I think you should do palm reading for us both. =) I did hear about you setting up your booth on the A11. I think that's a prime location. Just think! You'd get commuters, holiday makers and people doing the regular A to B run each day. You'll be a regular Patrick Jane yet! The placement next to the hot dog stand is useful too because then when truckers feed their abundant mid-sections and their greasy reputation there, you can nab them for a palm reading! (No offence to any truckers out there who break the stereotype. You are respected.)


I would like to turn my attention to the lighting of the beacons in The Lord of the Rings. I was actually chatting one of those beacon lighter dudes the other day. He was telling me how he would wake up every morning to go to work and just pray there would be some kind of massive conflict that would need him to light the beacon. He told me that, rumour has it, the dude who mans the beacon at Minas Tirith used electrical devices to create fake light and you'd get pandamonium breaking out all over the mountains as these freak beacons would go off for no reason. Before you know it, troops are rallied, horns are sounding and there's a little bearded man wetting himself with laughter on the Minas Tirith beacon. It's a dull life. But seriously folks, I just think it's so cool how the people were standing by to help. It's the same 'cool' factor when I was receiving the automatic news updates about the earthquake in Japan and you'd watch various nations responses coming in. "Germany is standing by to give aid." "USA is standing by to give aid." "Switzerland is standing by to give aid." Etc. It's awesome. You know, like when cars make way for ambulances. It's just cool. There's no other word for it. Lighting beacons is COOL! Way cool.


Well, Delaney. It's about time for me to do some essay-ing stuff before heading home to scramble some food. I have been seriously considering my future career. I would be lying if I said the 2 things currently on my mind were not the RAF and a Masters....I may need to re-think! What do you think, fruity? What do you think I should do?


I cannot wait for your reply!! I get so excited. Love you loads!


Shams. X