Damn

Damn! I Missed yesterday’s blog too. It’s been very busy down here at Portsmouth for me, but very productive nonetheless. I spent most of yesterday with my tutorial group at the university, trying to sort out our ‘project’ and what we were going to make for it. The whole process was incredibly tedious and indecisive but eventually we managed to get some sort of plan sketched out. Our idea was to use three vertical board-stands to create a sort of web strung between them and creating different levels. And on those levels, we could then place different objects that summed up stages of the journey for us. Well, we made it today, after a lot of messing about- saying, ‘hey, what if the structure was... y’know [insert strange idea here]? Would that be any good?’ To which the rest of the group would look round, nodding silently, agreeing and congratulating each other. Sometimes they’d be good ideas, other times I would think to myself what in god’s name are you thinking? ‘You want it to be a giant nest??? Good god, let’s not... Just stick to the brief, yes?’

The diploma students were very good and helpful, and really got the ideas rolling for us, but there was one specifically who would constantly agree with everything and just keep changing what he said. For instance: ‘Ok, it’s got to be really tall... light... bright... We’ve got to see everything! We did on the walk, right?!’ To which everyone would nod, silently, congratulating each other, and then he’d chip-in again: ‘It would also be nice if we could just use the feeling aspect of the journey, forget about seeing anything... make it like one of those museums! The ones where you stick your hand in the box and guess what it is!’ Again, everybody would nod manically in agreement, silenced by these conflicting ideas- but still going along with it. By this time, I was cradling my poor demented head in the foetal position on the floor. It rather reminded me of the saying ‘you can’t have your cake and eat it...’ it’s either one or the other.

The whole day also reminded me of the quote ‘a camel is a horse designed by committee,’ in that when everyone wants a specific aspect of their own, it’ll never quite tie together as smoothly as one designer given the task- but hey, I’m sure I will have to get used to this group work stuff.
Anyway, after the planning yesterday I had a few hours to myself before jetting off to rowing training, where I’d meet James from my course that was in the same boat (or at least will be!).

So I quickly prepared, baked and seasoned the classy dish: ‘beans ala toast’ before grabbing my coat and striding the mile between me and the boathouse. When I arrived I was barely given a minute to recover before being thrown into the circuit training- all twenty minutes of it (!) It was absolute hell, one Scottish Psychopath was standing in the middle of the room- everyone else crowded around him- whilst he screamed the next exercise that we had to do for half a minute at a time. I thought I was going to die half way through, I was so dizzy and breathless. So when one of the instructors told us to stop, I sighed in relief. I was only a short sigh, however, because as soon as I’d stopped I was instructed onto one of the rowing machines where a group of us were taught how to row properly. I quite enjoyed that part, since it was more of what I was used to.

After that, we went on a jolly 2 mile run and by the time I got back all my muscles were jelly and I couldn’t believe my luck when I reminded myself that James had kindly offered me a lift back to my halls. When I got back, I had a quick shower before setting off with all my other housemates to a club called liquid/envy (it’s actually 2 clubs combined into one massive one). Liquid was absolutely amazing, it had a huge circular room that must’ve contained almost a thousand dancing, whirling, drinking students. I had a good time, and on the way back with friends we stopped at Ali’s and got a kebab, which- I swear to god- was the best meal I’ve ever eaten.

This morning, thanks to the stupidly weak ‘vodka kick’ drinks I’d quaffed the night before, I actually felt fine... mentally. But due to the dancing and the workout my entire body was, and still is racked with pain... every muscle aches. Which, I guess is a good thing, in a way. Not only that, but I have to go out tonight as well! At least I think it will be slightly more conservative, since it is called the ‘fresher’s ball.’ I’ll keep y’all on the low-down, know what I mean?