Feeling Better

I've been feeling pretty yucky recently, but am much better now. Hopefully will keep this way and manage a full week at work! (I'm also hoping I don't have too much trouble to go back to having messed up through lack of ability to concentrate on the days I did go in last week).

On a positive note, we have had a nice weekend. Lots of thinking about weddingy things :) We went to the jewellers yesterday to look at rings. Think I know what mine will be and Raff has some idea what he wants! When we booked the wedding for September after getting engaged last April it seemed like a long long time away, all of a sudden we're getting married this year and it's feeling much sooner :)

M25

What's the point in having zillions of lanes (or even just 5) if no one will drive in the 1st 2?

grrrrrr!

As you can see, I enjoyed my drive home today.

All Change

It's been a while since I last blogged and a lot has been happening.

I managed to finish my dissertation on time (just!) and then set about moving house. I have to say that I am very glad Sarah D (now S) & Chris didn't decide to have their wedding a week earlier. That was a lovely day and we very much enjoyed the barn dance (sorry - can't spell the C word!).

Raff had kindly found us somewhere to live whilst I was still busy with my dissertation - luckily I approve of his decision (didn't see the house until after we picked up the keys). We're now living in Letchworth (which I also hadn't seen before - other than the station from the train). The 'World's 1st Garden City'. For a southern town it's not too bad - the people here all appear to be very friendly.

I have survived the first week of my new job as a geotechnical engineer. Found it very tiring (particularly due to early starts to join the jams on the M25 and get to my sites) and slightly stressful because I never like not knowing what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm looking forward to getting into it properly.

This weekend has been lovely and relaxing. The best bit about working instead of being a student, I think. Feeling happy now that most of the unpacking is finished and our house is becoming more of a home. Even have flowers in the garden now :)

Writing a Dissertation Is Like Climbing A Mountain

Flat walk in - quite long & boring = faffing about for weeks not really getting anywhere very far

Starting to climb = begining to put something together

Reaching the last slog to the summit, seems almost impossible but you know if you just keep going you'll get there and it will feel great = last few days when it's still not written and needs to be finished

So, I haven't yet reached the top but am on the final leg.

Hopefully I will get there (before dark / deadline). I'm sure once I do I will think it was worth it and will look forward to relaxing (easy descent)

The analogy probably carries on: aching knees on the way down = realisation that you can't relax & be happy with one achivement for ever & have to keep going again

hmmm..... most of that probably makes no sense and I should go to bed!

Almost there...

... at least I need to be!

I'm sure I used to be better able to stay focussed on the task at hand and get on with it than I am at the moment. It feels like I'm only doing 10 minutes worth of proper work each hour. My brain just keeps wandering off and thinking about other things.

I have lots of exciting things to look forward to once my dissertation is finished - which I should use as a good incentive to get it done so that then I can go off and enjoy myself. Thing is, they're proving more of a distraction than they should and I keep day dreaming instead of working.

Dissertation Panic

A common theme to my recent posts!

Less than 3 weeks to go... plenty of time!

Was feeling very panicky last night and this morning that it would be terrible and not finished - but am more positive again now. Chatting to the man in the office my project is with helped. I think by telling him what I'd done I realised that I have actually done something after all. Had been feeling like I'd been working lots but not actually achieving anything.

We're having a bbq this evening :) Hopefully it'll help me to switch off from work and get a decent nights sleep, ready for a weekend of hard work!

Scout Jamboree

I managed to take a break from my dissertation this week to visit Raff at the World Scout Jamboree. Very glad that I managed to go. Wednesday was a good day to visit, being the Scouts' 100th birthday - lots of partying :) Here are some photos from my visit.

I wasn't too impressed at having to get out of my sleeping bag at 4.15 am to raise the flags in time for sunrise - but it was definitely worth it. Even managed to stay awake long enough to see the "clock show" at 11 (but did have a bit of a nap in the afternoon). Slept the best I have in ages on Wednesday night, despite being in a tent.

Was sad to have to leave :(

Less than 4 weeks to go until my dissertation is due in EEEEEEEK! Better stop bloggin and get on with it.