Happy New Year!

It's a brand new year!  This year I do not hope for a new me but a better me.

I'm going to look back at my weeks and look at at least one good thing that happened that week.  I think that should help with my motivation and whatnot.

I got my good buddy Sooty (basically) last year from the adoption centre

I'm going to take more photographs now that I have the technology.

I moved into my last student house in July and this was the sunset a couple of day after moving

I'm going to stay motivated.  Mistakes will not stop me as they are signs of progress.

I walked 10km for charity in May with my dad

I need to stop procrastinating so much because this year is an important one.

My boyfriend and I visited Ashby Castle in Leicestershire

I WILL spend more time with my family and contact them every week.

My plan for the weekend is to:

• Write as much as my final report as possible
• Finish a section of my final year project
• Revise every subject at least once a day

I'll get back to you all on how my plan is progressing.

I hope to record everything I do weekly, getting my weekly blogs and vlogs started again now that things seem to have slowed down a bit again.

People usually write new year resolutions at the beginning of the year, but I never stick to them.  This year, I'm writing a check-list.  Like my to-do lists, it will comprise of three things and will be added to when all three are completed.

1. Go somewhere new.  This can be anywhere in the world
2. Learn a new language.  I've always wanted to learn Italian, Irish, or Japanese properly
3. Learn a new instrument.  I got a ukulele for my 22nd birthday and I think it's about time I sit down and practice

What are you all planning on doing this year?

I Missed My Train Today

It was the last day of my boyfriend's 21st birthday.  A very warm day indeed with highs of 28 degrees Celsius.  It was a wondrous day full of family and friends and lots of cake.

Those are not ice creams but cupcakes inside ice cream cones topped with dairy free butter cream and an assortment of toppings.

We came across a traffic jam on the M25 on the way to the train station after having to cut my evening short due to my impending train journey.  The look of dread was a common look among my mum, sister and myself as we knew, at that moment, I would not make my train and we may be travelling to Loughborough by car.  My mum suggested I rang the train station to see if I could catch the later train, but seeing as though the station is on the way to Loughborough, we would just slip in and see there and then.

20 minutes passed and we were only moving at a snail's pace.  Then 2 unmarked police cars came hurtling past on the hard-shoulder, followed by a Highways Agency 4x4 and 2 incident support trucks (or tow trucks really but that's what they had on the side).  Another 10 minutes passed and we could hear a siren, possibly an ambulance we thought.  It was behind us, and not getting any closer and we couldn't figure out why.  A quick look to the hard-shoulder told us that the road works currently occurring on that stretch of M25 (like the rest of it) had closed the hard-shoulder.  My mum, along with the other drivers stuck on the road, tried to move as best they could with the limited amount of room and 2 fire trucks drove past.  Then another 2 came along.  As we slowly reached the tunnel before the A10 turning, we could see that 3 of the 4 lanes had been closed off and cars we slowly being allowed through the single lane of the tunnel, and the accident.  Another 2 fire trucks slowly edged their way through the small gap between cars and the cones the Highways Agency had used to close the lanes.  As we passed the accident it looked like a mini-van had gone into the back of a 4x4, and someone was on a stretcher (I know, we're nosey).

After that it was smooth sailing to the train station.  I was 15 minutes late to my train, so if the mini-van hadn't gone into the back of the 4x4, we would have made it with 15 minutes to spare.  Luckily, I had the right type of ticket so I could just jump onto the next train.

After we passed the accident, the clockwise lanes were shut due to the road being uneven after an accident (I assume the accident part).  This was the couple-mile long queue.  I'm glad we weren't in that.

 Here's me thinking my life is so uneventful.

Busy busy busy

Next week is going to be a very busy one for me.
Doctors on Monday, along with a blood test.  I have to go every two weeks because I'm on Sulfasalazine (just to check my full blood count and liver functions, make sure it isn't killing me from the inside).
On Tuesday I've got a monthly review, just paperwork for my university, along with a four hour company meeting (free lunch :D).
On Monday and Tuesday, we are releasing a commercial and first beta (software engineering, fun times).
Wednesday I have my last meeting while in testing, and Thursday I move back to developing (I get swapped between both every 3 months).  Thursday evening I'm on the train home (yay :)) and it's Sootie's first time on the train.
Friday is a trip to the GI consultant and physio.
Phew, long week ahead.