Changes

I haven't blogged in a while and that's purely because I couldn't think of anything to write! I haven't updated my handwritten diary for a while either, so that's on my list of things to do today.
Last weekend I concentrated fully on my portfolio for my writing course which is sadly coming to an end next week. I can't believe that's it's been going since September and it's already ending, but I've definitely enjoyed it and have learnt to write different things and really think about what I'm writing. The whole point of the course is to create a portfolio of all your writings and hopefully achieve an OCN (open college network) certificate. I spent last Saturday laying out all my writings and putting them in a total random order in the portfolio that had been sat in my room collecting dust for ages, until I finally rescued it and started to use it, as my tutor says that the examiners will want them to be an order totally of our choice. There's a sheet that will be at the front which explains what we have to show and in the column next to it we have to put the page numbers that represent each thing.
My challenge this weekend was to work out how to number my pages, as all my work has comments from my tutor on it - which the examiners like to see - so I couldn't re-print everything as there's quite a lot and it wouldn't have been environmentally friendly, so I came up with the idea of numbered stickers. Having looked in Sainsbury's, Martins and on the Staples website I couldn't find any, but after going to Staples this morning I managed to find exactly what I wanted. I would have settled for small plain stickers so I could have written the numbers on myself, but I think it looks more professional and presentable if they're printed. Now I just have to stick them on , fill out the front sheet and I'm done.
It's sad to think that's it coming to an end as I really enjoy going to the class and meeting up with the same people every week as we're all there for the same thing and I enjoy the challenge of trying to come up with something new every week - which I normally achieve sitting at work, when I should really be thinking about something else!
According to our tutor the funding for the next level of the course has been cut as it's considered a 'pleasure' course and not based on a subject such as 'Maths or English', so when (I'm pretty confident I'll pass) I achieve the OCN certificate, I'll have the level 1 but won't be able to do the next 2. My tutor did say that she could run it privately, but we wouldn't be able to gain the qualification at the end of it as it wouldn't be run through the college.
She is running another course though which I've signed up for. It's a reviewing class, which was also cut from the funding, which will involve producing at least 2 pieces of writing a class and reviewing each other's work so we'll get the chance to know what other people think and also how to improve our own work. It's only for 8 weeks though, so it's not as long as this one, but it'll be something else I would have achieved and be able to put on my CV, and the fact that I have paid my way through night school as well as working full time should impress any future employers or publishers!

Away from writing, another change I have made since writing last is, I have dyed the ends of my hair electric blue, though it's not as bright as I would have hoped. I've wanted to do it since me and a friend were messing about with hair mascara when we were about 11 and she put electric blue in my hair and as a natural blond, it looked amazing! I tried to get it done professionally at a salon a while ago, but the blues they showed me weren't what I wanted and I didn't want to pay all that money for my hair to not be how I wanted, so I bought a dye from a shop and my hairdresser, who also happens to be my next door neighbour, put it on for me last Tuesday. It looks cool, even though I would have preferred it a lot brighter, but the only thing is, that even though it's semi permanent it will wash out within 6 to 20 washes, so I'm trying to avoid washing my hair at the moment so it will last longer! Apparently you can't get the blue in a permanent colour, so people who have their hair outrageous colours must get it re-done quite regularly which would be sooo expensive. Luckily mine is only at the ends - I would never have it all over as I love my natural colour so much - but when it washes out I can always re-do it as there is plenty left in the tube it came in.

I've also decided to try and do my Psychology AS level exam in May/June, as before I wasn't really bothered about having the qualification as I was only doing the course for the knowledge as I was interested in it, but since having a look at the practice exam and sorting out my folder - which was totally overflowing with notes and handouts, I think I could give it a go even though I am no good at remembering studies and who did them and when. I can remember things which interested me, so I'm hoping with a bit of bullshit I might be able to pull it off! It's definitely started to get more interesting now that we have moved onto abnormality, which was the sole reason I signed up for the course, and I'm beginning to enjoy it now even if I don't understand it!

This weekend I'm going to concentrate on getting my portfolio finished and ready to hand in on Wednesday, try and have a go at the practice Psychology exam which our tutor gave us to have a go at over Easter, but I'd rather try it now to get it over with, and update my diary as it's looking a bit neglected having sat in my bag for a while without seeing the light of day!

If anything exciting or dramatic happens to me, I will make sure I write about it, but to be completely honest, I doubt it very much, although I'm looking forward to next weekend when I'm hoping to see the salesman I'm totally in 'lust' with! I can't say love, as I don't really know much about him, I just like to admire him from afar!

See ya
xxx