The Philisophical Works of a Pseudo Author

Apparently, "God" has decided to punish me for ten years of failing to get involved with anything, hidding in corners, and all around not volunteering for things. I deserve it, I realise, but that knowledge doesn't exactly help.

The next 12 months are going to kill me. And after that, I get to write a PhD! I am already looking forward to September 2014 like you wouldn't believe. But then I feel guilty for that feeling.

It's a no win scenario, as usual.

I am calmer, in a way that only comes when I know exactly how much of a shit-load of work I need to do. I get anxious when I know I have things to do and don't know/understand what they are. This time around, I have all these nice lists and job-descriptions that other people keep sending me. I even have a gantt chart! I love gantt charts! I will devote an entire wall in the new house to all the lists! With post-its and highlighters and coloured pens galore!

In case anyone would like to be bored by the details, I'm getting a sick amount of masochistic pleasure out of saying the following.

My Roles and Responsibilities at University are:

1) Social Media Moderator for the MS PhD department

2) On-campus co-student rep (and there's a LOOOONG list that goes under that one too)

3) University Student PhD Blogger

4) International Buddy Mentor

5) Museum Studio co-organiser

6) (probably) Project co-manager for PhD conference and maybe co-marketer/SM coordinator/website designer (2013) (another LOOOOOOONG list under this one too)

7) MS PhD Freshers Week co-organiser (to be fair, there's about half a dozen of us, but still)

8) Help out with: exhibitions within department, occasional assistant to lecturers, student marking, random IT help, seminar series x2, and any and all other duties I get volunteered for

I just want to go to bed when I look at it. But then, the next moment, I get all excited and just want to do ALL THE THINGS. Masochist.

In other, completely unrelated news, M has (slightly) redeemed herself by announcing that she and D have booked an anniversary cruise in Europe in August, at such a time as they will be arriving in London the day after I return from America, will be paying for a hotel room, and letting me show them around ANY PART OF LONDON I WANT. And then next summer, they are doing it again. Except that time, I said I'd meet them on the Continent, because they won't want to see London again, and visiting the Baltic would be great, especially after France/Spain (ie. I will hit 3 countries next year too [this might become a thing]). I told her she had to break it to her sister in such a way that said sister didn't throw a fit. And, lastly, that M has no more ability to comment on me going ot America in August. Though the irony of my parents flying to Europe at the same time I fly to Canada is lost on no one. It is the type of irony I get a satisfying pleasure from, however.

More importantly = CALGARY! PLANE! DENVER! MY life is now awesome again! [Thank the gods, there were about ten days in there I thought it had gone to hell forever.]

In still other news, Academic Research Week has now officially become Social Research Week. Gone to Liverpool. Be back online Sunday...perhaps. I may just spend the day in bed instead.