Okay Matt.

I'm in the ass... The Arts and Social Sciences Library that is... What did you think I meant. 

I feel terribly out of place here, the medical sciences library is full of nerdy and dishevelled folk like me (I haven't shaved in like 10 days, don't judge) whereas everyone in the arts library looks like they've tried a bit too hard and are a bit too edgy for me. I have no other choice though, this is the only library open at this time on a Sunday night.

All week I've been thinking about blogging about the people in the library that annoy me, however that list has become so extensive that I couldn't possibly fit it all in one post. I will give special mention to the guy sitting a few seats over from me who I'm pretty sure is having some kind of breakdown, he keeps talking to himself about how tired he is and sporadically bursting out laughing. Poor guy. There is also a guy just around the corner who has been watching Arrested Development on his laptop for the last hour and a half or so, why is he here? Why doesn't he just go home?

I'm currently on practice exam question number 680 out of 750. They are multiple choice but still take a while to mark. I'm currently averaging about 60% which is okay I think.

5 hours of exams on Tuesday and then I'm done and dusted. I can not wait to see you all again.

Right, onwards with the questions, bed before 1 o'clock I think. Night.

Update: 598 out of 814 on the multiple choice questions, that is ~73.5%. Aww yiss.

Also I found this on the toilet wall, the bit about diglett it made me laugh, I am too tired for this kind of shit:

'sup?

Bloggity blog blog blog.

More to come in the morning.

And when I say in the Morning I clearly mean 1 am on Tuesday.

Work is busy as a busy thing. Had one exam last week. It was a practical thing where you are observed taking a full history and performing a full exam. My patient was somewhat tricky but I think it went okay. If we fail we had to be told on the spot, but my exmainer didn't say anything so I am taking it that means I have passed. I have 2 exams this week on Thursday and Friday. I am somewhat worried.

Spent all day until 4 today in the library, then had a teaching session with one of the junior doctors and then had a teaching session with some consultants from 6:30-9:30 this evening. It was super tiring but the person organising the evening teaching know everyone is super tired and freaking out so bought everyone beer and snacks and it was beautiful.

I have finally finished my big portfolio. It may not look like much, but I reckon this baby represents about 200 hours of work and was a huge pain in the ass to complete. I am glad to see the back of it:

I have a tutorial at 8 tomorrow. That's in 7 hours. Dang.

Here is a song played on a  moving bus and has some sweet ass mandolin in. All in all, good song:

I still read your blogs, Will!

Shall not bother attempting to explain my absences of late. Essentially, I'm just forgetful.

Buut, finished exams on the 6th, after a long period of furious revision.

All went pretty good, and all my in course stuff was above 70, so hopefully I will be able to maintain the fairly fragile grip I have on a first.

Since finishing I've been pretty crap.

I was the first one finished (along with John), and together the pair of us have fallen into a general schedule of malaise.

I have been to the meadows with John, Georgie, Rebecca plus others, followed by Singstar and pub. Had a meal at Sarah's cooked by her mum, followed by pub with Pete, Sags, Oli and John. Cath came up, we had dinner then cocktails then met Sarah, Darryl and Georgie at the pub. I did lunch with Georgie, followed by shopping, films, dinner with her flatmate Emma, then lots of drinks.

So yeah, I done things. But mostly I've just tidied, attempted to sort out my room ready for moving - including three binbags worth of clothes, one to the charity shop and two to the recyling - and watched TV. Lots of TV.

Started and finished Veep, started Childrens Hospital, mostly finished 30 Rock (I've been watching it previously with Dickie and he's just been picking random episodes, so now I have to go back through figuring out which ones I've missed).

Yeah, it's been nice, if not exciting.

Need to get on with figuring out my summer.

Should be going to Arran later in the month, back to Swindon a bit later. Amsterdam and Best Kept Secret. Italy with Pete sometime during July. Then maybe doing something else in August? Also need to find time to move into my new flat, and maybe attempt a bit of Fringe.

WHO KNOWS

Untitled

I hope the title makes me seem both deep and mysterious and simultanesouly moody and pretentious Matt.

Where is everyone?

The past week has been pretty dull. I have spent the majority of my time avoiding revision by finding awesome new music instead. More on that to come.

I played cricket this weekend again. We won again. Turns out we might have a pretty strong team this year; we are currently top of the league, maybe we’ll win a trophy or something.

I honestly can’t think of a single piece of exciting news to tell you about. It was beautifully sunny on Monday and I spent the day inside reading textbooks and the like. I have to hand in my clerking portfolio on Wednesday 6 days before the official deadline which came as a bit of a shock. I’m slowly getting there. Only 2 more patients to write notes for and only 10 or so diseases to write about. We also have to include a 2100 word essay about inter-professional learning although it seems unlikely that this will even be marked. Because of that I wrote it from start to finish this morning, finishing with references and all before 12 o’clock. I am pretty proud of that achievement.

Ben Marwood has a new album out on Monday. I had it pre-ordered and somehow it arrived yesterday and I am listening to it right now. There are a lot of songs with more instruments than just guitar on which is a bit of a change from his older stuff. At first I was somewhat sceptical about this, but I think it is growing on me. I still prefer the all-acoustic version of Lock And Key Though.

Other music I’ve listened to this week is everything and anything by Pat the Bunny. He is the lead singer of Johnny Hobo And The Freight Trains, the band I posted songs from for the last two weeks, here is another of their songs, performed at a party by Pat on his own, look how happy the ginger guy is:

 His current band is called Ramshackle Glory and they are equally awesome if somewhat more refined. He also has another band called Wingnut Dishwashers Union who I have listened to less of so far. Here is a song called Your Heart Is A Muscle The Size Of Your Fist: 

Finally, remember the ginger guy from the first video? Well he also sings songs under the name Redbear and they are pretty great too. Here is him performing a song called My Ghost-Love Jam. 

And I'll leave you with some comedy which I had never seen before:

I think that’s all folks. Someone else write a blog.

Pretty lonely around here. I think I might be the only one who even reads my blogs.

As mentioned last week, I was in hospital many an early morning and late evening. Well not many, but 2 nights and 2 7:30 starts was more than enough. I had my scariest consultant experience to date. I was asked to present a patient on a ward round which basically meant me telling the consultant all about a new patient whilst 6 or 7 real life doctors all watched. He then proceeded to quiz me on what Hartmann's procedures and Virchow's triad, I think it went okay.

I ran a 10K race today which was pretty fun. I think I said before about how I wanted to do it in under an hour. Well I finished in 59 minutes and 35 seconds, I am a boss at pacing myself. I also finished 5557th out of over 12,000 people, so above average, what up. Here is proof:

Further proof, here I am with my housemates Andy, Rachel and Andy who also took part. We got sweet free tshirts and medals. I'm never taking mine off:

Don't worry though, I'm not taking this fitness business too seriously, I have just finished an entire tub of Ben and Jerry's.

I played cricket on Saturday. The team we played were absolutely terrible. Like honestly, really not good at cricket at all. We won very easily. Update on the blackness of my thumb from last Saturday, it looks slightly less black now and I can write with almost no pain. I hope the nail doesn't fall off, that would suck:

Further to a discussion I had with David earlier, folk-punk is most definitely the best genre of music. I have had this album on repeat all week long. Its the same guy as I posted last week, but it just doesn't get boring and this is the entirety of one of his albums. He also has songs called "I'm So Punk I Hate Punk" and "Anarchy Means I Hate You":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33pis-u819w

Here is something that made me laugh in the library this afternoon (I was taking one of my numerous reddit breaks). George R R Martin loves surprising his readers.

I missed my day, sorry gang.

In the news last week I saw lots of patients. I had a teaching session which started at 7am which meant leaving the house at 6:30, not cool. This week is more of the same, I think I'm nearly done with my clerking portfolio of 32 patients, I'm not 100% on how many I've actually done but I think its 30 or 31. This week I shall I have to be in at 8am 3 days and will most likely be staying in until 10pm at least a couple of times. Work eh, what is it good for?

I saw Frank Turner with Kate last weekend. It was, as ever, an awesome live show. His new album came out last week and is currently number 2 in the album charts, what a sell out. I am actually getting into the new songs a bit now, there are a few which are a bit too poppy but some really good ones too. I am excited to see him this summer at trees.

It's less than a week until the big 10K race I'm doing. I'm slightly concerned, I stupidly didn't go running at all for 2 weeks after Easter and it has been a challenge to get back into it over the last week. I managed to run 8.5km today but it was a struggle.

Played the first cricket match of the year on SAturday which was fun. It was just a friendly but against a super good team so we lost. I didn't bat very well and got hit on my thumb and now its gone all purple and hurts to hold a pen which is pretty annoying. I didn't wicket keep very well because my thumb was sore. I caught the only catch that came my way though, so not a disaster.

I can't think of much else of note to say. David seemed keen on blogging this week so there's that to look forward too.

Here is a fantastic song by some guy who I've never heard of:

And here is the worlds happiest cat:

Better late than never

I was watching Frank Turner earlier, I'm sorry.

Proper blog tomorrow maybe but here's something to be going on with:

It's true. I forgot to blog yesterday.

But I am here today!
So all is forgiven.

Still revising.
Little else to say, really.

I have been is this God damn library every single day for my entire life, or as much of it as I can remember.
Today I went to Charlotte's flat, which other than my flat, Pete's flat, Tesco and Sainsbury's is the only other place I have been in the last one thousand years.

I am trying to maintain a decent blogging record but having spent the entire day writing a research project proposal, I am in no mood to write more things, but here goes anyway.

Spent the week living along at uni. It was fine if a little lonely. I got lots of work done which was good though.

Nothing remarkable happened in terms of university activities.

I went to see Jim Lockey and The Solemn Sun last night with Chris. First I met Chris and Matt at Chelthenham spoons ( I had a Tennessee burger, it was average at best). After that, Chris and I went to the Frog and Fiddle. It was great to see Jim in front of a really big crowd who were clearly all big fans, I think it was my favourite of their gigs I have ever been too. I then drove back home home last night to avoid further loneliness at uni.

Today I have mostly been writing a research project proposal, it is incredibly dull. I have pretty much done it now though and have sent it off to my supervisor to read through, hopefully it is vaguely on the right track.

This coming week is going to be pretty standard in terms of uni. I am starting my ENT rotation. One of the doctors is really nice so I am hoping to hang out with him a lot and watch some cool ear surgery or something.

Kate's birthday is on Thursday, I am incredibly excited for this although I might not be back from Bristol until late and then have to return to uni early the next day. Still, it will be worth it. I think I'm also seeing the majority of you guys on Friday...

One of the bands supporting last night were called the Woahnows. I thought they were really good, kind of Los Camps-y:
Woahnows – Foma

I have headache.

Finished off the finishing touches for Petey's present.
Have been in the library till closing for several nights, due to a lack of at-home photoshop, and a need to work on it during the night time hours. (Don't want people's looking over my shoulder.)
But aye. It is done.

Last lecture was... well I suppose it was on Thursday, but I didn't go. So technically my last lecture was on Tuesday.
Went out on Thursday. Got painted.
Georgie's party on Friday. Got vommy.
Spent Saturday night in Richard's bedroom watching 30 Rock and hiding from drunk hockey players.

Yeah. I probably have more to say. But my head really hurts, and Petey just arrived and has walked in and somehow found cake. Literally no idea whose cake it is, but safe to say it is not Petey's.

Good night, my dears.

I'm sorry Juliet, I was waaaaay drunk last Sunday night, my usual blogging time.

Well, it is the end of my ridiculously short Easter holiday. I have done very little other than sleeping and drinking. Not a bad way to spend a week I must say.

I've done lots more running since my last blog and actaully managed to run 10.12km in 57 minutes yesterday, I was very pleased and not even too tired, go me. My orginal plan was to run the actual race in under an hour, but as its still 3 weeks away, perhaps I can do it a bit faster than that.

In recent education news, I have performed this procedure several times on a rubber butt. My life is nothing if not glamorous:

I too enjoyed the GoT season 3 premiere. I managed to work my way through the last 5 episodes of season 2 over last weekend and I have actually got into the show properly now. Because I watched season 1 over such a prolonged period of time, I never really got into it. Also, I am nearly done with Dance With Dragons, I had meant to finish it this week, but sleeping got in the way of that. This coming week I will try my best to get it done.

I had planned on going back to uni this evening but it turns out I don't have anything on until tomorrow lunch time so I'm going back then instead. I will have the house to myself for 2 weeks which sucks. It does mean I have sole control of the thermostat though, shit is gonna be toasty as fuck. I will also have my car with me so will most probably be making the journey back to Swindon if exciting things are happening.

I'm going to see Jim Lockey et al. next weekend in Cheltenham with Chris which should be really fun. They've just come back from supporting the Dropkick Murphys in America which was a huge deal for them so I expect his show will be pretty nuts.

My Dad just called me downstairs in an excited voice. Turns out he's spent the afternoon training the wild ducks which occasionally visit our garden and now they're in the kitchen. Why you may ask, his answer: "because I could".

Want to see something interesting. Go here and fill this in and see how your opinions compare with other peoples from all round the world. Its super sad how low a priority climate change is to most people.
http://www.myworld2015.org/

Ben Marwood fans should watch and listen to this song and video, both are ace.

See you soon.

Wow. Poor show guys.

And by guys I obviously mean Will.

Test tomorrow.
It's a practical exam, and there's no past papers.
Eight topics total with a choice of five. Only actually attended sessions for four of the topics, so this should be fun.
So far have been assembling notes for six of them, and think I shall leave it at that.
I imagine this is going to be a nightmare.
Worth 25%, no idea what to expect, or how to revise.
But, it is my last piece of in-course assessment this term, so after tomorrow it's just pure revision! Yaaay.

Spent the weekend in Newcastle, Uncle's birthday, sorting out my Grandpa's house / scattering ashes etc...
(Yeah - not sure how many people I mentioned it to. My Grandpa died back at the start of term, followed a week later by Salem / Bailey / Mischief - whatever name you might've known my cat by. That plus a whole load of FUCKING POINTLESS drama has made this term kinda unpleasant. But yay, bitches be crazy. And hopefully out of my life by next semester.)

Can't remember if I mentioned, we have a new flat? Haven't actually seen it yet, but this rather wonderful photograph by Dickie I think illustrates it quite well:

Don't know why he chose to take it as a selfie. Or why he's biting his lip. Or why he decided to snapshot the letting agent.

Also, here's the floorplan I made him draw when we were drunk:

Most exciting news of the week - obviously, is the return of Game of Thrones. :D
Best Monday ever, and thankfully many more to come.

Currently finishing off series two of American Horror Story with John. Which is glorious and you should all watch it because it has lots of bum and Zachary Quinto.

And yeah. Am in the library, as per usual. So should probably go back to working before I face any further judgement.
BAI.

I just encountered the most exciting hand drier of my life.

Today has been very confusing.

Since Saturday literally all I have done is wake up, go to the library, go home, eat dinner, go to the library, go home, sleep.
Muchos muchos deadlines.
BUT today is the last of the aforementioned deadlines.
BUT whilst celebrating the end of my essay writing, I drank too much and forgot to sleep. Essentially, finished essay at about 10pm. Came home, drank wine, hung out with Dickie. Finished wine, started on vodka. Dickie went to sleep. Brain said 'let's watch a film before we go to bed!' I agreed, not realising it was already 4am. Film finished, it was daylight.
SO. Being that I had to hand in this essay, AND that the drop-box for my essay is two miles from my flat, AND that I haven't been to a lecture for a long time, instead of doing the sleepy thing, I begun my day.

Since then I have showered, gone to Starbucks, read some book in Starbucks, drank A FUCKING HUGE COFFEE (that is kinda making me feel like I'm about to die), bumped into my bro, Max - who was up early because it's his girlfriend's birthday and he was buying all sorts of exciting ingredients to make her breakfast in bed because he is literally THE sweetest, bought Easter eggs for all my flatmates, tidied my room, walked to KB, entered KB library for the first time EVER, encountered their wondrous hand driers, and wrote this blog?

Anyway. Since I have last seen you...
I dunno. Stuff?
These days mostly library and flat-hunting.
And cooking. Fucking love cooking.

Did a three-course dinner on Friday:
Mushroom soufflé with vine roasted tomatoes and a rocket salad.
HANDMADE spinach and ricotta ravioli in red pesto on a bed of asparagus.
And a trio of desserts: lemon and yoghurt fool, poached pears in red wine and chocolate brownies.


FUCK YEAH.

Afterwards we drank lots and invented the best parlour game EVER.
It's like charades, but essentially you need a music playing device, and some good headphones.
You are given a song, and must then listen to said song whilst acting out the lyrics - everyone else must guess the song. Much fun.

CHRIST. I feel unusual.
Kinda drunk, quite hungover, very caffeine, also sleepy.
ARGH. I have a double lecture in half an hours time. This shall not go well.

BUUTTTTTT, whilst drunk last night I decided on an honours for definite.
And it issssss..... GENETICS.
Which, I realise is what I went to Uni to do in the first place. But I assure you, there was some wavering in the middle.
But yeah, my hand-in today was a genetics report, and I enjoyed writing it, and telling everyone about it, and thinking about it, so I believe this is a good sign and I should do it.
Definitely genomics is the way to go.

But yeaaaaah... still need a title for my essay. After that I may well just go home. Do not think I can survive the day. Literally only came into the library because I assumed it would be empty and I could find somewhere to sleep.
What is it with all this people, working?
Blargahtrgahrjfbshgah.

This is the picture I just sent to my Jubs.

 I think it sums up how I'm feeling.

I should've mentioned.
Me and flatmate John realised that we were both called Jubs from a young age. Which is peculiar. As people aren't usually called Jubs.
As such we agreed we are probably one person. A symbiotic entitity: the JUBS.

I'm playing draw my thing on the big TV in the lounge because I am all alone in the house. All my housemates have finished for easter and left me on my own. I haven't seen another human being for 36 hours. Shit sucks.

I have lectures and boring things all week but then I am home and I can't wait to see everyone.

A few weeks ago I entered the Bristol 10K. I have been running 3 times a week for the last 2 weeks and its going okay. I ran 8.05km yesterday which is a personal best. It's not for another 4 weeks so I think I have time.

Nothing at all to report. You guys should blog.

Blogging on a weekly basis

I made this Venn diagram to illustrate why everyone should start up posting again. If it doesn't convince you I don't know what will.

This week I worked a lot a did little else. The presentation went pretty well on Monday. Nailed the timing and I think what I talked about was vaguely relevant so should be ok.

We had mock OSCEs (objective structured clinical exam) this week. You go around a load of 10 minute "stations". At each one you are given a task to complete. So you walk around a room each time someone blows a whistle and perform whatever they ask of you. They can be history taking, clinical examination or clinical skills based. It was pretty stressful but I passed all the stations and it useful to see how it all worked out. I'm fairly sure it’s going to be the most stressful type of exam when we have to do it for reals.

Spent all weekend finishing writing up and following up patients. I actually had to go into hospital today because I didn't have all the information I needed on some stuff. It sucked. I have just finished everything up now though, it is a nice feeling knowing it is all done.

This week I have nothing particularly excited planned. Going out for housemate Andy's birthday on Tuesday to a Indian restaurant which is byo alcohol, I don't really know the etiquette on how much it is acceptable to drink at such establishments.

I have listened to the Yellowcard album Ocean Avenue on repeat all day, it is seriously fantastic, I had forgotten just how much I enjoyed it.

I wanted to post something cool in this blog but found couldn't think of anything good. So, here is the first video I ever favourited on youtube.