Now this argument would have been fine and all, and I may even have won had I not picked such a difficult opponent.
To be fair, I don't think myself and my two wheeled friend are ever going to come off well against a brick wall.
I am a twat*
*A twat with a bruised ego and gravel rash.
29 September 2006
27 September 2006
Bloody cyclists
I swear to all things holy that some cyclists are suicidal.
Don't get me wrong - I cycle into lectures every day but the sheer antics of other cyclists overtaking me at high speed makes me wobble intensely.
But, I've only fallen off 3 times already and hit one fence. I'm sure that's pretty good going!
Don't get me wrong - I cycle into lectures every day but the sheer antics of other cyclists overtaking me at high speed makes me wobble intensely.
But, I've only fallen off 3 times already and hit one fence. I'm sure that's pretty good going!
25 September 2006
Learning Objectives
Learning objectives seems to be a very modern way of saying 'create your own medical education'.
While I didn't enter university completely deaf, dumb or blind, I hadn't quite grasped the magnitude of the type of medical education that is taught today.
The majority of medical schools now (including the one I am attending) teach an 'integrated' curriculum for the training of doctors. The idea of a couple of years of pure science followed by clinical years (as The Hippocratic Oaf is studying) seems to be fading amongst most medical schools. Whether for good or bad I cannot comment, but the decision to follow an integrated syllabus was made due to my prior degree in science. I did not see the point in doing another 2/3 years of pure science.
What alarms me the most is the huge emphasis placed on learning through colleagues. Now don't get me wrong here - I expected to do group work, but I didn't quite grasp that PBL (or Problem Based Learning) would be taught to me by my peers...
Quite how this will pan out, I aren't exactly sure. But one thing's for certain, we'll be hating each other by Christmas....
While I didn't enter university completely deaf, dumb or blind, I hadn't quite grasped the magnitude of the type of medical education that is taught today.
The majority of medical schools now (including the one I am attending) teach an 'integrated' curriculum for the training of doctors. The idea of a couple of years of pure science followed by clinical years (as The Hippocratic Oaf is studying) seems to be fading amongst most medical schools. Whether for good or bad I cannot comment, but the decision to follow an integrated syllabus was made due to my prior degree in science. I did not see the point in doing another 2/3 years of pure science.
What alarms me the most is the huge emphasis placed on learning through colleagues. Now don't get me wrong here - I expected to do group work, but I didn't quite grasp that PBL (or Problem Based Learning) would be taught to me by my peers...
Quite how this will pan out, I aren't exactly sure. But one thing's for certain, we'll be hating each other by Christmas....
24 September 2006
and how could I forget.....
Carmelo Alongi, the new paramedic (student) on the block. Follow him through university at his blog here
Things you didn't know (and probably didn't want to know) about Merys - Part 1
- I really enjoy taking photographs (see Flickr stream) but aren't actually that good.
- I really enjoy cooking, but aren't actually that good.
- I have been driving for 4 years and have only reversed into my mother's car once...
Hello Goodbye
It is with great sadness that I have removed the link for The Special Constable's Blog, as well as The Oopsy Daisy who seems to have vanished off the face of the earth, taking The Door Supervisor's blog with them for company!
But I would like to add to the sidebar (drum roll please!):
Renal's blog - Renal was one of the first people to comment on this blog, and who introduced me to Admissions Forum (which is currently down for maintenance)
The Paramedic's Diary - another LAS blog which I thoroughly enjoy reading. You guys get all the fun!
But I would like to add to the sidebar (drum roll please!):
Renal's blog - Renal was one of the first people to comment on this blog, and who introduced me to Admissions Forum (which is currently down for maintenance)
The Paramedic's Diary - another LAS blog which I thoroughly enjoy reading. You guys get all the fun!
22 September 2006
Lost in Translation
While I was being a helpful soul last night, I found myself showing a group of international students to find their accommodation.
Now as anyone who knows me will vouch for, I am rarely lost for words. I had to supress wild laughter last night when a gentleman from the middle east told me I reminded him of Hugh Grant.
Northern, female Hugh Grant maybe.....
Now as anyone who knows me will vouch for, I am rarely lost for words. I had to supress wild laughter last night when a gentleman from the middle east told me I reminded him of Hugh Grant.
Northern, female Hugh Grant maybe.....
20 September 2006
Peasholme Park
Peasholme Park
Originally uploaded by merysjones.
This is Scarborough. Deceiving isn't it?
Less than 2 weeks ago I was living at home with my parents and travelling around Yorkshire to get a few days rest from work. Scarborough was my choice as it reminds me of my childhood.
Peasholme Park has a beautiful boating lake and boats for hire, and I can remember canoeing around the lake at what seemed like incredibly high speed and overtaking the pedal boats.
My father wasn't exceptionally happy when I said I wanted to relive my childhood, and dragged him into a Canadian canoe. Exhausted, but happy we had overtaken lots of small children in pedaloes, showing that there's a lot to be said for having strong shoulders!
My reason for this post? I appear to have entered a new phase in my life.
It's being drilled into me that I am a 'health care professional' now, and that never again will I look at people in the same way. Now there's a thoroughly scary thought!
The course still appears to be good, but I can't help but wonder if I made the wrong decision. Every time I see an ambulance pass, I feel an odd pang inside. It's like having this little voice saying 'look what you could have been doing!'
But, one thing is for certain - I won't quit. Nothing annoyed me more as an undergrad than a medical student who'd quit. Selfish potentially - I could be taking a place from someone else. But in the same thread, I think my problem is I want to do both, which obviously isn't possible.
I shall have to keep reappraising!
19 September 2006
18 September 2006
Run for the hills
Well, the dreaded day came. The start of medical school – or rather the hellish drive to the more southern regions of the country to drag my sorry arse out of a perfectly comfortable one and into a halls of residence attempt at a mattress.
My stomach had been feeling queasy for a few days but I’d managed to maintain keeping the contents in it – until the morning of moving. In a cruel act to spite me, and looking for any valid excuse I managed to retch the (empty) contents of my stomach after swallowing mouthwash. Never in my entire life have I swallowed mouthwash – but it’s as if my body was looking for an excuse. At least I got it over and done with.
The journey took longer than expected, as well as the unpacking. Accommodation is simple and clean, well designed and, thankfully, en-suite.
A brief shopping trip avec parents led to a final bill of £120.74 worth of food, condiments, crockery, bed linen and shower things.
The plan for the first night was a bar night. Ok I thought, I can cope with this. Outfit carefully planned, hair groomed to perfection, contact lenses rather than glasses, cute shoes and a sexy handbag and I was off. Hang on a minute, who am I kidding. I crawled out of the shower, discovered I’d left my hairbrush at home and had a 10 minute strop until I found another one in a different box. Sadly I dragged my carcass off to the bar looking a bit of a mess – but never mind, I’m sure everyone was too pissed to notice by the time I got there…. maybe.
The theory in the bar was to get to know everyone, and eventually the great social lubricant that is alcohol worked its magic and everyone started talking to each other. I found another graduate living in the same halls as me, we shall refer to her as F, and she also has a degree in Biomedical Sciences, although from a different university to my original. We were having great amusement at one of the boys, fresh from boarding school who went on to get completely legless, stand far too close to everyone else for their liking, and collect phone numbers like postage stamps. Bless, I remember it well.
I also managed to meet my parents (or mentors for the confused out there). A really nice couple of medical students, who interestingly enough, had never met each other. It was slightly alarming to have medics wandering around and looking at faces carefully, comparing them to photographs, and having my ‘mother’ walk up to me and scream ‘Oh my god, you’re Merys Jones!*’ Ever so slightly disconcerting!
* Of course, if she had actually called me this I wouldn’t be writing this post now, and would instead be running for the hills while wearing dark glasses and a hat.
My stomach had been feeling queasy for a few days but I’d managed to maintain keeping the contents in it – until the morning of moving. In a cruel act to spite me, and looking for any valid excuse I managed to retch the (empty) contents of my stomach after swallowing mouthwash. Never in my entire life have I swallowed mouthwash – but it’s as if my body was looking for an excuse. At least I got it over and done with.
The journey took longer than expected, as well as the unpacking. Accommodation is simple and clean, well designed and, thankfully, en-suite.
A brief shopping trip avec parents led to a final bill of £120.74 worth of food, condiments, crockery, bed linen and shower things.
The plan for the first night was a bar night. Ok I thought, I can cope with this. Outfit carefully planned, hair groomed to perfection, contact lenses rather than glasses, cute shoes and a sexy handbag and I was off. Hang on a minute, who am I kidding. I crawled out of the shower, discovered I’d left my hairbrush at home and had a 10 minute strop until I found another one in a different box. Sadly I dragged my carcass off to the bar looking a bit of a mess – but never mind, I’m sure everyone was too pissed to notice by the time I got there…. maybe.
The theory in the bar was to get to know everyone, and eventually the great social lubricant that is alcohol worked its magic and everyone started talking to each other. I found another graduate living in the same halls as me, we shall refer to her as F, and she also has a degree in Biomedical Sciences, although from a different university to my original. We were having great amusement at one of the boys, fresh from boarding school who went on to get completely legless, stand far too close to everyone else for their liking, and collect phone numbers like postage stamps. Bless, I remember it well.
I also managed to meet my parents (or mentors for the confused out there). A really nice couple of medical students, who interestingly enough, had never met each other. It was slightly alarming to have medics wandering around and looking at faces carefully, comparing them to photographs, and having my ‘mother’ walk up to me and scream ‘Oh my god, you’re Merys Jones!*’ Ever so slightly disconcerting!
* Of course, if she had actually called me this I wouldn’t be writing this post now, and would instead be running for the hills while wearing dark glasses and a hat.
17 September 2006
University for the uninitiated
If you want to look your best in fresher's week, remember that personal grooming is an essential.......guess who forgot a hairbrush?
Proper posts will resume when I can stop grinning like a loon.
Proper posts will resume when I can stop grinning like a loon.
13 September 2006
So long, farewell etc.............
As my summer season at Yorkshire Leisure comes to a close, it certainly ended in a memorable fashion.
Friday nights are always a big deal for the entertainments and recreation staff, and managing kids and teenage parties and the staff and karaoke etc is like spinning plates. If nothing else, the takings have proven worthwhile – over £1200 from my 5pm start of shift. Sadly, I think I’d sweated blood on that night – not getting chance for a toilet break, never mind my allotted food break…
I don’t think memorable quite cuts it for describing my night. I was called every name under the sun when I had to eject some ‘customers’, one of whom was a well known school bully in my time at secondary school, and who certainly joined the queue of punching me too…. Unfortunately, I didn’t realise this until I ejected her and her friends, and she reminded me that I was a ‘F*&!@*g snotty bitch when I was at school too!’. Ta very much for that love, I shall pop it on my CV for future job applications!
More amusingly was their attempt to bully one of my French members of staff. He’s such a fabulous guy, but wouldn’t serve someone without any ID (which is his prerogative) and I supported his decision to do so. Cue the xenophobic tendencies. I would have told them so, but I don’t think they’d quite know what xenophobia is, and I couldn’t be bothered to explain. I did point out that I didn’t care if the guy in question wanted to get his ‘dick out’ to prove his age, as he still wouldn’t be getting served.
It’s a good job I’ve got elephant hide sometimes, lots of insults were bouncing of my armour tonight! Although I will take as a complement one of the staff telling me they were only arguing with me because I look intelligent. I did point out that looks can be very deceiving!
Still, the night ended on a high with a customer asking for my phone number and then ‘tailgating’ me around the bar and lounge. All I could hear were cackles from the staff behind the bar, who had obviously been egging him on all night. Still, revenge is a dish best served cold. He doesn’t have my phone number, but a certain Frenchman will be getting a set of interesting texts soon enough………
Friday nights are always a big deal for the entertainments and recreation staff, and managing kids and teenage parties and the staff and karaoke etc is like spinning plates. If nothing else, the takings have proven worthwhile – over £1200 from my 5pm start of shift. Sadly, I think I’d sweated blood on that night – not getting chance for a toilet break, never mind my allotted food break…
I don’t think memorable quite cuts it for describing my night. I was called every name under the sun when I had to eject some ‘customers’, one of whom was a well known school bully in my time at secondary school, and who certainly joined the queue of punching me too…. Unfortunately, I didn’t realise this until I ejected her and her friends, and she reminded me that I was a ‘F*&!@*g snotty bitch when I was at school too!’. Ta very much for that love, I shall pop it on my CV for future job applications!
More amusingly was their attempt to bully one of my French members of staff. He’s such a fabulous guy, but wouldn’t serve someone without any ID (which is his prerogative) and I supported his decision to do so. Cue the xenophobic tendencies. I would have told them so, but I don’t think they’d quite know what xenophobia is, and I couldn’t be bothered to explain. I did point out that I didn’t care if the guy in question wanted to get his ‘dick out’ to prove his age, as he still wouldn’t be getting served.
It’s a good job I’ve got elephant hide sometimes, lots of insults were bouncing of my armour tonight! Although I will take as a complement one of the staff telling me they were only arguing with me because I look intelligent. I did point out that looks can be very deceiving!
Still, the night ended on a high with a customer asking for my phone number and then ‘tailgating’ me around the bar and lounge. All I could hear were cackles from the staff behind the bar, who had obviously been egging him on all night. Still, revenge is a dish best served cold. He doesn’t have my phone number, but a certain Frenchman will be getting a set of interesting texts soon enough………
12 September 2006
9/11
When the planes hit the two towers I was sat in college somewhere. By the time I heard about it I was sat in an A2 Physics lesson, and we were granted special exemption to visit the computer suite and find out what had happened.
Rather surreally (and probably due to my dubious internet skills at the time) I couldn't find anything.
Rumour and speculation were doing the rounds and we returned to Physics none the wiser, but having wasted 30 minutes of teaching.
I don't recall if I took the college bus home of drove my car, but I remember hearing the news on the radio on the way home, placing an end to all the rumours.
When watching the Sky News footage at home I remember thinking how 'Hollywood' it all looked, and being in complete disbelief for a couple of hours.
My thoughts are with all involved
xx
Rather surreally (and probably due to my dubious internet skills at the time) I couldn't find anything.
Rumour and speculation were doing the rounds and we returned to Physics none the wiser, but having wasted 30 minutes of teaching.
I don't recall if I took the college bus home of drove my car, but I remember hearing the news on the radio on the way home, placing an end to all the rumours.
When watching the Sky News footage at home I remember thinking how 'Hollywood' it all looked, and being in complete disbelief for a couple of hours.
My thoughts are with all involved
xx
09 September 2006
Worth the weight
Following my prior rant about weight and the clothes industry, I am proud to announce that I am now a size 12/14 and have lost a stone in weight (approx 6.3 KG I believe). This may still sound like I’m on the large size, but I’m quite toned and hide it well. Being a sensible 5ft7in also helps to hide the extra pounds.
Sadly, I may have gained just a little too much confidence and have taken to wiggling my arse at people a little too much. *sigh* It’s a hard life.
Never mind, fresher’s week soon, I can drink it all back on again!
Sadly, I may have gained just a little too much confidence and have taken to wiggling my arse at people a little too much. *sigh* It’s a hard life.
Never mind, fresher’s week soon, I can drink it all back on again!
05 September 2006
Recently when I was at work, doing the whole leisure centre thing, I had to pop off to the little blogger’s room to (ahem) powder my nose.
Upon entering a cubicle to do as nature intended, I noticed a small boy had obviously been in the ladies because the seat was up. Not thinking too much of it, I popped the seat down, turned around, sat down and made my bladder happy.
Finishing with relief, I turned around to flush, and discovered to my horror that all was not quite right. Sadly, the seat was covered in something brown, ominous and smelly. And I had just sat in it….
…..delightful.
Upon entering a cubicle to do as nature intended, I noticed a small boy had obviously been in the ladies because the seat was up. Not thinking too much of it, I popped the seat down, turned around, sat down and made my bladder happy.
Finishing with relief, I turned around to flush, and discovered to my horror that all was not quite right. Sadly, the seat was covered in something brown, ominous and smelly. And I had just sat in it….
…..delightful.
01 September 2006
Chav bashing - a national sport
Have I ever mentioned just how much I hate chavs? I’m becoming terribly snobby about it all, generally fed up of being tailgated by a pimped up Saxo full of baseball cap wearing obnoxious males with blue tinted headlights and enough bass to cause an exhaust pipe to fall off.
While trying on a LBD* in Topshop this week I actually heard the teenage child in the cubicle next door work the words ‘am I bovvered?’ into a serious conversation. The sound of my coughing with laughter could be heard throughout the store and they must have spotted me due to my bright red face, choked by laughter and my streaming eyes.
To be brutally honest, it bemuses me. As someone who doesn’t completely follow fashion (I tend to do my own thing…) I probably can’t comment on chav fashion, but as we have a ‘no hoodies’ rule in work, you’d think they’d have got the picture now. I’ve even started getting giggling messages through my headset informing me that my favourite abusive customers are in again. The regular staff all hate them too, but just prefer watching teeny me kick ass!
While trying on a LBD* in Topshop this week I actually heard the teenage child in the cubicle next door work the words ‘am I bovvered?’ into a serious conversation. The sound of my coughing with laughter could be heard throughout the store and they must have spotted me due to my bright red face, choked by laughter and my streaming eyes.
To be brutally honest, it bemuses me. As someone who doesn’t completely follow fashion (I tend to do my own thing…) I probably can’t comment on chav fashion, but as we have a ‘no hoodies’ rule in work, you’d think they’d have got the picture now. I’ve even started getting giggling messages through my headset informing me that my favourite abusive customers are in again. The regular staff all hate them too, but just prefer watching teeny me kick ass!
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