Delays!

Tonight was the night of Delays Concert II. In celebration of the last Delays gig we went to, on the 17th October 2004 when we'd only been in cambridge a few days, we (Jen, Dave, Alex and me) went along tonight to see their 2nd ever gig in Cambridge.

The support band was "Captain", who were amazing - a little like the New Pornographers, but better. Delays came on bang on-time and played for over an hour, mostly stuff from Faded Seaside Glamour, which is good really, because I don't know the second album as well, or like it as much. But, a good night was had by all and Jen and I got Gardies on the way home. MMMm.

When we got back I beat Alex at blackjack, and won a Mars Bar, but felt guilty cos I'd had Gardies, and she was hungry for Mars, so we played S*ithead, and she beat me (as she always does at that game somehow), so she got her Mars bar.

Tom

Canoeing

Rich invited me canoeing! They had a try-it session and BBQ, so I turned up, had a sausage, and got put in a long thin black boat by Rich. Within 5 minutes I was in the water - every time I moved more water sploshed over the sides, and eventually I just sank when trying to catch a polo ball. But, seeing as now I was wet, I got back in, and lasted a little bit longer (30 mins) before trying to turn too sharply again and crashing in. By this time I was very cold and soggy, so I cycled home (in soaked jeans... why did I wear jeans, just why??), and had a warming shower.

Part II

Finally managed to chose my part II courses (for my 3rd year - the "intercalated year"), and submit them on the internet through CamSIS.

1. Development and Reproduction from the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience. With a research project
2. Pathology with a dissertation.
3. Genetics with a research project.
   

Flapjacks, Football and Flying

1. I got a flapjack, infact, this week, my life has been full of flapjacks. It's been one of those weeks where the oats follow you round - you know what I'm talking about. Bloody oats. Well, not at all; I was followed in a good way. In a stomach-tinglingly good way. Hannah made flapjacks that were juicy, soft and scrumtious, and then Alex sent me a CHOCOLATE flapjack that was full of sweet cocoa goodness. Yay!
2. Football. Worcester Park Wonders won. We actually won. For the first time since 2 years ago we won. 2-2 after full time, and then 4-3 on penalties. Was great fun, but now my legs are melting. MELTING.
3. Flying. Flying... Birds fly. It does begin with F... and I did have a conversation with my dad about the perils of high-altitude flight should you have some sort of respiratory disorder. Seems to fit in with the title.

Booyakka!

Tom

UPDATE: The Land o' Lakes Flapjack Festival


Land o' Lakes Flapjack Festival. Take me there. In a tardis... whatever. Look! Americans dressed as Scotch Pancakes, and probably flapjacks too if their amazing oat-power had not melted the camera lens when the photos were being taken... i assume.

In 1976, community organizations of Land O'Lakes planned an event that all area citizens could partake. It began as a small festival produced by civic, church and business groups. The annual festival, which is themed around flapjacks, has grown each year with more entertainment, rides and activities.

The three-day event, produced by the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, begins on Friday afternoon with the tossing of the first flapjack. Free flapjacks were offered for the first time in 1983, and have since become an annual ritual for the Saturday morning breakfast. The Land O'Lakes Butter Company in Minnesota has supplied its namesake butter every year since the first free flapjack breakfast. Throughout the weekend thousands of residents and visitors enjoy free entertainment, parades, shows, carnival rides, and food. On Saturday evening, the Honorary Mayor of Land O'Lakes is "elected" with dollar votes. The "candidate" who raises the most funds wins the honorary mayor position. The fundraiser activity supports the chamber and the continued improvement of Land O'Lakes. Land O' Lakes is named for the many blue lakes in this community north of Tampa Bay. From this website

The things you find on Google.

In celebration of it being nearly a year since I began this text of literary genius (ahem), I have brought together some of the greatest and weirdest blogs of the last year. Just to tickle your fancy.

• May 2005 - The desecration of a beauteous flower, parts 1 and 2 It was a tough time.
• 31st May 2005 - Shoes, Smartness and Llama Sex. A late night rant about the importance of llama sex in the salvation of the lactose intolerant.
• 16th June 2005 - Wetwetwet. The Cam is wet, cold, and not to be entered into lightly
• 25th June 2005 - Clare May Ball 2005. A Ball of the greatest proportions. In May in June. Weird eh! Cambridge.
• 30th August 2005 - Leeds Festival. Some loved bands were seen, some great bands were discovered and much fun was had.
• 2nd September 2005 - My Face, my beautiful face. It brought into question Alex's honour. The rest is history.
• 11th September 2005 - The State of the World Today. The art that can be created during Coronation Street would astound anyone.
• 13th February 2006 - London. Another amazing weekend with Alex.
• 17th November 2005 - Andrew Bates being Born. Ok, not one of the greatest posts, but it entertains me.
• 18th February 2006 - My day, to the minute. It was cold, and the English faculty looks funny.
• 19th February 2006 - Hannah is scared of goblins. Family visit :)

There are others I could have included, lots of bops, and farming stuff, but you can peruse that at your own will. I'm so confident you'll be interested :S... self flattery is important!

Enjoy!

The Kingston Look

Ah, have been back a week now, and am getting used to life in Kingston again. Yesterday I went out to the pub for Nick's birthday, and it was alright. I've had better nights, but then again I've had worse. I just don't find getting drunk for the fun of it in a nightclub fun, so I didn't go; much to the disgust of a few people. Still, I wouldn't have enjoyed it and it would have cost me a fortune.

Anyway, today has been trop productive, I have posted here, finished working through a pharmacology lecture series on the Pharmacology of Inflammation and Immunosuppression, and written an essay on "the modes of action and uses of anti-inflammatory drugs" and got to wax-lyrical about aspirin, paracetamol, and less obvious drugs with fab names like zafirlukast and cyclosporin. Hehe. I have to make it interesting somehow! There's just so much stuff to learn, and so little time. Less than 2 weeks of holiday left!!!!

I have also cleaned out my computer by giving it a complete wipe and re-install, re-done this blog, made my room tidy, made it filthy again, made it tidy, and then filthy again for a 2nd time. It's a crazy cycle. There's a picture of my dad with a package on his head. Just cos its funny. It's entitled "Royal Male". hehe. classic.

Tom
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My Little Ovine "Friends"

I am back in the land of the living after quite a few weeks. Lambing was tough - really tough. I was working from around 10-11am until 3am every day for two weeks. Oh, and Sheep haven't heard of weekends. Grr. Still, it was an experience I'm glad I've had - I must have lambed around 100 lambs if not more, and I'm much more confident with the animals themselves. I know that when my muscles are working (i.e. when they havent been battered by 100 hour weeks) I can floor a sheep and pull smaller sheep out from its backside. Hurrah! Such skills a London lad thought he could never dream of learning. But, seriously, I'd not be doing anything else. I love this vet thing.

My general day was as follows:

• *10.30am - get up
• *11.00am - go out to sheep shed, and have a quick walk round, see if anything's lambing, if it is, pull it out, or leave it if it's doing ok on its own. Memorise where sheep are that are lambing. Put any sheep that have lambed overnight and cannot be put in small pens (cos there are none left) in a large pen with no other lambs in to prevent them getting mixed up.

• * anytime between 11.10 and noon, start feeding and watering all the sheep in small pens. Throw out the water the sheep have crapped in and refill buckets with water from a slow hose. Give "nuts" (concentrate feed) to sheep. Repeat, 60 times. Constantly re-check sheep, and disinfect and move sheep into pens as farmer takes sheep from small pens outside.

• * 2-3pm - LUNCH
• * 4pm - go back out, and repeat - lamb sheep, check sheep, feed sheep, including hay this time.
• * 10-11pm - DINNER
• * 11.30pm - midnight - check sheep again, lamb and move anything required.
• * 2.30am - 4am - BED.

I have used the word "move" and "put" with regards to sheep. Moving sheep is much much easier said than done, as anyone who has done this will vouch for. Still, while it was a little soul-destroying at times, and I was counting down the hours by the end, it was fun at others.

On the last Thursday (the day before I came home) I got Ill, which, we came to the conclusion when I was better the next Wednesday must have been E-coli from the sheep. They didn't like me.

I've included some photos for your perusal. They're mobile-phone pics so not of the greatest quality, but you get the general idea that there were sheep! Lots of sheep. The pic at the top is me and Vinnie Jones, the stockiest cheekiest houdini of a lamb you ever did meet. Hehe.

Tom
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