Twitterfeed

Wednesday, April 28, 2004

CODES!!!
Okay, so the code didn't work. I'll try again

When I get this Halberd out of my ass

Woohoo! It worked! I'll put links to the others now!

The Grasshopper lies heavy

Mind on the run

Excellent! Now if only I could work out how to get them under 'links'...
My other mate John now has his own blog called 'When I get this Halberd out of my ass' and as I like to advertise my mates almost as much as I shamelessly promote myself, check it out at:

.

If I was a whizz at these code things I'd add some proper links. Well, it'll stop me revising for a while I guess. :)

Not been up to much recently, trying to seperate the usual neuroses from exam stress mainly. Which basically involves avoiding revision. But I think I'll get an early night and work my ass off tommorrow rather than pretend to myself I'm going to do anymore tonight. I suppose I'll take comfort in the fact that in three weeks time this will all be over. I think I'll write a list of all the things I'm going to do after and over the summer to remind me to do them. I wonder how Steve is getting along on his list?

On another topic, listening is difficult, but worthwhile. If we spend so little time on this mortal coil, full of ideas and emotions and innovations, I think we should all really listen to one another more. I want to see beyond the facades, like I said in my first blog; see beyond the life before my eyes and into other peoples. I want to be able to understand how people are feeling, even if they can't express it, to know what to do or say to make them feel better or resolve their conflict. But these things take time I guess. How much time I have I do not know. So therefore I must do my best everyday, continuing tommorrow.

Take care,

Peat

Thursday, April 22, 2004

EXAMS FTAUGH!

I haven't posted for a while and doesn't look like I'll post for a good deal of time after that as well for you see, exams are upon me. Not only are exams looming over the horizon like Great Cthulhu waking up but there are all the associated activities, stress, revision, tidying of my room numerous times, drawing for myself, drawing for other people, pretending that I've done enough for one day, loss of concentration, apathy about the subject, mad plans for what to do once the exams are over, I could go on...

What has occured to my friends and I is the fact that this has been happening at the same time of year for the last FIVE YEARS. Talk about punishment, and (again like Great Cthulhu rising from his sea prison) I never seem to be as prepared for it as I'd like. Exams in themselves are not so bad, sometimes when you get the right question which

a) You find interesting personally
b) Have revisied
c) Have revised enough about that you can write about it with some degree of clarity

They can be quite enjoyable. Some of best work has come from those few hours scribbling away in the exam hall but it's all the baggage, (ie the revision and the stress) which I despise. I always get really panicy before an exam, the day and night before; 'Have I done enough?' 'Should I do another practice question?' 'What if the trains are late?' 'What if there aren't any questions I can answer?'

Then I experience that strange moment of calm euphoria where I relax and remember that this isn't that important, if I fail at everything maybe I can go live in a monastary or work on a farm somewhere and be happy. Then the stress comes back with a sinking feeling in my stomach and then I go into the exam hall.

Why do they always put exams in the summer? So that I have to sit INDOORS and occassionally glance out the window at the sunshine, birds singing, green green grass and happiness and then return to whatever notes I have on my desk.

The consolation however is the aftermath, and this time I'm going to do my best to make it worth the effort. This time it's going to be different, this summer is going to be one to remember! I'm going to do thise things I said I would, I'm going to travel, see my mates and write my books and screenplays. Then when it's all over and I have to go back to uni I'll have had a blast. I hope you'll accompany me on a part of my journey this summer. See ya soon.

Rock and roll!

Peat.

Monday, April 19, 2004

This was on Tom's blog so I followed the instructions and got the quote below. What fun!

Memery
1. Open the nearest book to you
2. Turn to page 23
3. Find the fifth sentence
4. Post it on your blog with these instructions.

"Her anger was gone, at least for the time being"

Back from the student nationals which were great fun but have to do lots and lots or revision so must go once more!

Tack care!

Peat.

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

AND THE BLOG GOES ON...

I haven't posted for a while because I've been away for easter (like my 3 readers give a piece of kobold's furniture). But it's been fun nonetheless (didn't get any revision done either). Just posting to say one of my best mates John (inspired by me Steve and Tom) has started his own blog:

www.whenigetthishalberdoutofmyass.blogspot.com

He's still finding his voice like I was at the beginning (and still am I know!) But he's reminded me of two things I need to write about and I'll put them here to remind me next time I come to write this stream of consciousness

1) The backstory to me life
2) Chin's life and death

The second of which did and still has in some ways a great and long lastiung affect on my life (and, as you'll read, on John's). While I didn't know Chin for as long as John, what is important is Chin's gift; he managed to make all his friends feel like they were his best friend. I know I did. The guy was great, he was just fun to be around and made the day interesting. Even going round the corner to McD***lds was fun with Chin, it was memorable.

Some would say it was his heart condition which made him that way, maybe it had an affect but I like to think it was just him, he'd found a way to make every day memorable.

I don't want to dwell on it too much but when he died it was as if the world didn't make sense anymore. I could only describe it as having a diagram of your world and having a huge hole torn in the centre, the chart didn't mean anything anymore. That was what happened first, then later I started trying to take the blame for it, the guy was great, he made everyone feel happy and it seemed like I couldn't do that. I genuinely thought it should have been me that died. Once I got over that I was fine, but occasionaly it comes back to bite me in the ass again.

If I learnt something it was something similar to John. I felt Chin had set me on a path to becoming 'the best Peat I could be' and I thought he would walk with me. As it is, we have to walk without him, what we learn is that we are mortal and we don't know how much time we have. So cherish every moment.

Oh, and funerals are bad, and wakes are wierd.

Hmm, I said I'd talk about it in futrue entries and ended up talking about it now. Oh well.

Take care,

Peat.

Monday, April 05, 2004

FRAGRANT PEAT AND THE NICKNAMES

Aren't nicknames great? They remind me of how people see the world and what they associate with people. Nicknames can come from anywhere and throughout their life people will have many. So stick, some don't, but the most important thing is, one cannot give oneself a nickname. Many may find that a tad hypocritical, when I took the mantle, 'Peat' I chose it for the reason that it looks slightly cooler when you write it down and it doesn't sound any different than the conventional 'Pete'. I've been using it for so long now it seems strange to refer to myself as 'Peter' and nor do I think my friends think of me that way.

But why am I fragrant you ask? This comes down to people having the same name in the friendship groups I hang out with. With two 'Pete's in one group we both answered when someone called our name. The other Pete (for reasons I forget (sorry mate!) had the nickname 'Stinky' and so I was named 'fragrant Peat' to differentiate me from him. We now respectively answer to 'Stinky' and 'Fragrant'.

Within this group there are others with the same name, the Daves for example. One Dave is refered to sometimes as 'Jaffa' on account of his surname and (presumably) he like Jaffa cakes and rolls. Having too many Matts, there is 'Cookie Matt' (because he does the cooking) and 'Fluffy Matt' (I wasn't present for this one but I assume it's because he's a really nice guy).

Then there are ones related to the way people are. I was told stories this weekend of 'Ninja Tom' who had been training in martial arts since he was 8 by his father (and thus deserves the title) as opposed to 'Tom the Ninja' who merely WANTED to be a Ninja.

Crazy stuff and yet these names help us to remember. Not only people but anecdotes which colour our lives like a character sheet covers that half painted barbarian model from Heroquest you're using to represent you on a finely desgin cardboard dungeon in the Warhammer world.

So, nicknames, if you haven't got one, GET ONE! (Unless of course you're the only person in the area with your name, in which you don't NEED one. Feel happy everyone knows you as you and not some bizarre anecdote! he he he)

Take care,

Peat.