... look for the girl with the broken smile ...

To sum up...

2009-11-08T20:51:41Z

Good food. Good drink. Good company.

Good times.

Good times

2009-10-31T18:43:23Z

I've just had the BEST three days. I'm so glad I decided to take off on my little road trip. In fact, I think I'd be perfectly happy if I was still there (and didn't have to go back to work on Monday)!

Never mind... I actually am back in Bath in five weeks for my friend's Christmas do. In fact, at this time in five weeks I'll be in the Assembly Inn nursing a drink, about to head for a three-course meal and lots of wine. Good times!

Return

2009-09-19T14:05:26Z

I haven't been on LJ for ages and, as I feel I am maturing in my old age, I'm not going to waste hours of my life as I would have done once, reading back over page after page after page of posts (although I have just read some). Instead, I'm going to head back to my kitchen table where I have an array of work spread out, awaiting my return. What a way to spend a sunny Saturday!

Anyway, my point is, I may have missed some important news, so if I am completely ignorant about a big event in your life, please forgive me!

The biggest event in my life is, of course, moving into my own 'palace'. I love it! I never expected to love living on my own but honestly, there's nothing like it.

There's also nothing like stuffing your face with homemade scones, jam and cream, but I'm not sure that's actually such a great thing in the long run.

Insights, apparently

2009-07-14T19:13:42Z

I haven't written anything for ages, I know. But Tenneil posted a link to this colour quiz thing so I thought I'd post my results. I'm not sure a lot of them are true, except for the fact that I suppose I am (in a way) 'stressed' about my current situation, housemate-wise, but that's why I'm in the process of getting out of here!

Miranda took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test!

"Alert and very observant. Always looking for new ..."

Click here to read the rest of the results.

Hope you're all well, anyway. I am still reading - just not writing! It's all about Facebook these days.

Baking woes

2009-03-16T19:22:13Z

Thanks to the two people who voted on my last post. As it happens, I ignored both of you and went for the lemon griesstorte, haha.

Unfortunately this was an unmitigated disaster as for some reason the cake didn't rise, so I now have a ruined cake to munch my way through, and I'm about to return to the oven for recipe number two: cinnamon and ginger cake with caramel icing. This one was chosen because I actually have all the ingredients in stock and therefore don't need to go out again!

I don't know why this always happens to me; I had major issues with Kathy's birthday cake last year too. It's just not fair!

The week that was

2009-03-15T10:08:22Z

I have just had, I think, the most hectic, jam-packed week known to man. How all my lessons got taught, I have no idea. But busy though it was, it was also great - and here's why:

- I taught a couple of lessons to year 11 (about analysing unseen non-fiction, so a very exciting topic indeed) in which I could tell that the proverbial lightbulbs in their heads really switched on.

- I also taught some great lessons to year 9 in which they were focused and settled - I think I finally have them where I want them, which, at the start of the year, seemed like it was going to be a real battle.

- I got to leave work about twenty minutes early on Tuesday...

- ... to go to my first poetry reading (as audience, not as reader!) on Tuesday, and really enjoyed it...

- ... but not only that, I actually had dinner with the two poets, both of whom are published with their own books! I think this is the closest I've come to dining with multiple celebrities, hehe. We went to Strada where I had a lovely risotto.

- And, furthermore, it was in Cambridge, a city I love.

- Oh, and also on Tuesday, I got a text and an email that were nice to receive.

- On Wednesday, it was year 9 parents' evening - not particularly enjoyable, obviously, but something really hilarious came out of it. One of the mothers was really good fun and not at all impressed with her son's silly behaviour during lessons, and as the meeting was finishing, she said something like, "Even if he has to bring an apple for the teacher every day, his behaviour WILL improve!" I didn't think anything much of it... but then the next day he walked into the lesson, handed me an apple, and said, "Here's your apple, ma'am." It was so funny!

- Then yesterday I saw the same kid in Asda and he said, "Should I buy you another apple?" Hehehe. He was in Asda with a whole posse of his friends and I saw them on the top floor, and as I was going down the escalator they all leaned over the barrier and waved. Oh, my job is fun.

- Despite leaving parents' evening with no real idea what I was going to do during all five of my lessons the following day, I got through them, and they actually went quite well!

- More specifically, I actually had a really good year 12 lesson, which I think is about the third one that could be described as such all year, and super-objectionable student actually managed to stay in the class for the full hour.

- Alison and I went to KGGS to see their production of The Wizard of Oz on Thursday evening... which, actually, was a bit of a disappointment, if I'm honest, but it was still good to see, and at least it made our show look a whole lot better!

- I got a text I wasn't expecting on Friday which was a nice surprise.

- Kathy and I decided to be healthy on Friday night so instead of going for a curry we went back to her house and cooked a really nice dinner of salmon and vegetables with pineapple for dessert. The wine and Amaretto doesn't count.

- Unfortunately all notions of healthiness went out the window yesterday when we met at Panini for breakfast and then went to Hallam's for 'hobbit breakfast'... then went shopping for a bit for a birthday present for a mutual friend (almost impossible, I was developing a really bad mood by the end of it) and had lunch out as well!

- And THEN I met Rob (on his last day in the East Midlands!) and had yet more cake... oh dear.

- And, boring as it sounds, I stayed in last night for the first time in AGES (I've only had one other night in all week!) and just dozing and sleeping was really good!

Now, lastly: it's Paddy's birthday today and Alison's on Wednesday and I'm going to make a cake and take it in to work one day next week, but after going through my cookery books I can't quite decide... can anyone tell me which of these sounds the nicest?

1. Cinnamon ginger cake with caramel icing (self-explanatory)
2. Lemon Griesstorte (a lemony, almondy cake with lemon/raspberry/cream filling)
3. Strawberry hazelnut cake (this is two layers with a ricotta and strawberry filling)

Oh - and does anyone know: if a recipe says to 'blend' ricotta cheese, cream and vanilla essence until smooth... can I do that with an electric hand mixer, rather than a blender?

One month on

2009-03-08T20:46:47Z

My last entry was about the good things of this week. Well, this one is going to be a list of the good things of yesterday - because there were many!

- Breakfast with Kathy (a yummy maple and pecan plait)
- A beautiful, warm, sunny morning
- Driving around parts of Nottingham I've never seen before...
- ... and not getting lost!
- Getting a free Christmas tree
- Getting a free juicer (not that I have any fruit or anything else to juice at the moment... but give me time)
- Seeing Mat for the first time in AGES
- Wearing my new coat for the first time
- Hearing With or Without You on the radio
- Catching the end of the Neighbours omnibus
- Not having my housemate in the vicinity for the entire day
- Being productive house-wise and cleaning up the kitchen (including my new oven and juicer)
- A fun night with Tali and DJ (even though I won neither of the games we played on the Playstation!)

And one other thing I'm not going to write, except to say that it's something I've missed.

So I have to say that 7 March turned out much better than 7 February. Although, strangely, it did involve pretty much exactly the same people.

As for today, I've been productive too. I've started marking my year 11 exam scripts (unfortunately I need to finish them now), relaxed a bit and met Kathy for coffee (which, probably unsurprisingly, turned into a few drinks and dinner as well). Unfortunately 'ze housemate' has returned, but at least I haven't had to actually see him. So, all in all, I really can't complain about this weekend.

The good points of this week (and it's only Tuesday!)

2009-03-03T20:20:15Z

So, once you ignore the fact that arrogant housemate seems to be a permanent fixture until about Christmas (as confirmed by my landlady/friend this evening), there are many much better things to focus on...

1. Kathy and I went for dinner to the Greek/Turkish place on Sunday night and had the BEST time! What made it even better was the fact that first of all we weren't going to go out for dinner at all, and then weren't going to go there, but I'm so glad we did. We were the only customers the whole time which meant we got very personalised attention and the waiter was so theatrical; it was hilarious. The food was terrific too!

2. Still on Kathy, she's given me a load of stuff that she was getting rid of (in addition to the dressing table mentioned a couple of posts ago), including: a CD player (that actually works - my old one didn't play CDs, haha); a corner table; heaps of kitchen gadgets and... a BOOKCASE!! Finally a bookcase to call my own. It's totally serendipitous too because it fits PERFECTLY in my room - almost as if it was made for it! So I have a new-look bedroom now which almost makes up for the wild beast living downstairs.

- Tomorrow, I'm going to London to see Wicked, all in the name of 'work' - and it's not costing me a penny! I've seen Wicked before, but I love it (and The Wizard of Oz in general) so I'm very excited. I didn't have very good seats last time I went either, so there'll have to be an improvement this time. One of my favourite students is going too (yes, I have favourites - so shoot me) so I'm sure we'll have a laugh. And anyone who has a whinge and tells me teachers never do any work... I'd like to see you trying to chaperone twenty naive teenage boys on the London Underground at peak hour!!

- I've (profitably) joined the Nottingham Freecycle group. I was already watching the activity in the South Kesteven, Melton Mowbray, Lincoln and Newark groups, so thought I'd add Nottingham to the list - and it's paid off! On Saturday I'll be trekking around various postcodes beginning with 'NG' in order to pick up an electric juicer and a six-foot artificial Christmas tree... absolutely free! Unfortunately this does mean a fairly colossal amount of driving, including on the Nottingham Ring Road which I don't particularly like, but it's just another reason to be in Nottingham really, because...

- Also in Nottingham on Saturday I'm seeing Mat, who it seems like I haven't seen for AGES.

- AND on the weekend Niki and I are going to arrange to do something, because I haven't seen her for ages either.

- Furthermore, I haven't yet broken my crazy Lenten vow to give up unnecessary junk food, and feel much better for it. I'm even going to start going to the gym again on Thursday - I'd stopped for a bit because of a bad cold and some chronic muscle agony due to furniture lifting. But the health kick is back on!

- OH! And this one is not so much my news, but still worth mentioning: my nana is either crazy or cool or a mix of both and has got a tattoo of a robin on her arm! She was apparently going to wait until her 70th birthday and do it then, but didn't see the point in waiting and just got on with it. So that was some interesting news to get in the post yesterday!

So... Life is good!! I'm much more content, particularly as of about 20 minutes ago, than I have been in ages. :-)

Stay tuned... next week has the potential to be very good as well. :-)

Petty whinging

2009-03-02T18:23:52Z

I wish my housemate would get out of the kitchen so I can go and retrieve my cooking food without having to see him. :-P

There's only the two of us in the house now - he's managed to push the third one out! What a bizarre series of circumstances I find myself in.

Television woes and Lent

2009-02-25T21:18:05Z

Desperate Housewives is back on tonight, after yet another hiatus. I was quite excited about this, but there's now a problem... I am so very exhausted after a three hour parents' evening (they're only supposed to be 2.5 hours but I was just that popular!) during which I didn't stop talking once and parents were queuing up about six deep at one point... I think the chances of me staying awake through all of Desperate Housewives are remote. It's so annoying! Why does it have to be on so late?!

(If I hadn't been up half the night watching Family Guy last night, I might be slightly less tired also...)

In other news, rather than simply giving up chocolate for Lent this year, I've decided to do something completely radical and give up junk food altogether. By 'junk food' I mean the things I actually eat too much of - so not McDonald's-style junk food, because I never eat that, but more things like chocolate, cake, biscuits, ice cream etc... I am going to be reasonable about it, and not reject of cake on someone's birthday or something, but more just stop eating those things superfluously and unnecessarily. Who knows how it's going to go, but I've made it through the first day ok!

Ridiculously teenybopper survey that I'm embarrassed to do...

2009-02-24T19:03:43Z

If the last person you kissed on the lips said that you were the only one they wanted, would you believe them?
I'd like to, but who knows?

What are you currently hearing?
Whirr of computer, me typing...

Have a best friend?
I have a few

Would you date someone three years older than you?
Yes

What's with you and the last person you kissed?
I don't know. What's with you? What does that even mean?!

Do you have a friend of the opposite sex you can talk to?
Yes. A few, actually.

Will you cry at your high school graduation?
I didn't when it actually happened (I said this was teenybopper! Curse you, Donna, for making me do it!)

Are you wearing any clothes that don’t belong to you?
No

Have you ever liked someone who all your friends hated?
Yes

What color/kind of shirt are you wearing?
A pale pink singlet/vest top under a darker pink 3/4-sleeve fitted crossover v-neck top

What made your day today?
The fact that it's Pancake Day?!

Are you keeping a secret right now?
Oh, most likely.

Is there anyone you want to come see you?
Yes, generally speaking, although right at this second I'm pretty ok

What are your plan for the weekend?
Nothing, actually, except pick up my (and Kathy's, actually) bread order from The Cake Shop on Saturday. I need to relax, more than anything! And finish the reading I should have done for work in January!

Are you sarcastic?
No, never...

When was the last time you smiled?
Talking to Elmas before, I think

Do you miss anyone?
Yes

Do you think anyone has feelings for you?
Quite possibly

When is the next time you will hug someone?
I don't know, I tend not to plan my hugs! *rolls eyes*

Are you mad about anything?
No

Do you smoke weed every day?
Oh dear me

Would you go a month without cursing?
I always go months without cursing

Besides this, what are you doing right now?
Eating dinner! Savoury pancakes with salmon and leek filling! Yum!

What is one thing you want right now?
The ability to eat without putting on weight

Did you go to sleep last night smiling?
No. I might have if Family Guy had been on!

Do you sleep on your stomach?
Sometimes

Are you ticklish?
Oh yes. I've almost broken a finger because of it! (Long story.)

Are you in a good mood?
Not too bad, I've got the pancakes I've been waiting all day for.

What did you do last saturday?
Went shopping in Nottingham and spent money I should have been saving for more practical purposes, then had dinner with the Cunninghams.

Has anyone ever told you you have pretty eyes?
Yes

What color are your eyes?
Blue

When was the last time someone asked for your number?
Um... Thursday when I booked a hairdresser appointment

Do you think that someone is thinking about you right now?
Well, if not, they should be :-P

Have you received or given any apologies recently?
I had an apology from an errant student this afternoon (whether it was sincere or not, who knows...)

Do you talk to the person you fell the hardest for?
Erm... Let's say yes and no. Which actually is a legitimate answer, believe it or not.

What color is your toothbrush?
White and pink

What is the last thing you did before you went to bed last night?
Read some of my book (Frankenstein). Although, technically I was already in bed by that point. So... moisturise my face, maybe? Or tidy my room up a bit?

When is your birthday?
January 8

Does the last person who put their arms around you mean anything to you?
I don't remember who it was, but probably? I don't normally let random hobos hug me haha [I must admit I really like Donna's answer!]

Does anyone know your myspace password?
No, not even me, because it doesn't exist

Do you like the smell of gasoline?
Don't mind it, but don't love it

Ever cried from being so mad?
I don't think so

Have you held hands with anyone recently?
Depends what 'recently' means

When is the next time you’ll kiss someone?
Again, not something I tend to plan. Ugh, I can't believe I wasted any time on this at all. Now... to Neighbours!

Getting the message

2009-02-19T19:23:59Z

How hard is it to reply to a text?!

Edit: Hard enough that it takes a second text as a reminder, it seems. Honestly... some people!

Edit 2: And then someone else decides they have to annoy me. IDIOT housemate has just got home (after bliss without him)... and the first thing he does? Puts the expensive gas heating on!!! It is practically SPRING!!! I was out in just a light jacket today! Honestly, seeing as my mood wasn't good to begin with, I think I just came the closest I've ever come to actually wanting to kill another human being.

More cryptic half-musings

2009-02-11T20:47:21Z

Life is still going on, with a slight tinge more positivity. I wish I could find some energy though... I'm completely knackered and work is simply survival at the moment. It would make sense if I could actually work out WHY I'm SO tired but I can't... I'm just walking around in a half daze - and I can usually function perfectly on very little sleep. After the weekend I had, it might make sense, if I hadn't crashed completely the last two nights and got plenty of sleep.

I also wish I hadn't been such an idiot and sat around home for three and a half hours without doing any work, when I need to prepare quizzes for tomorrow and I'm now completely ready for bed.

Never mind. Holidays next week. Plenty of time for R&R. Something that has been weighing on my mind has been lifted a bit. I managed to get through not one but two lessons on sonnets today. And I'm having breakfast at Costa tomorrow.

So, you know. Some of the usual Miranda optimism is working its way back into the equation.

Life goes on

2009-02-10T19:44:20Z

BLAH.

Still, though. Today I got to go to the theatre in Birmingham under the guise of 'work'. I just made a really great omelette, and I found my missing (and much missed) blue pen.

You have to focus on the good points.

Limbo

2009-02-07T17:08:38Z

Let me hold you for the last time
It's the last chance to feel again
But you broke me
Now I can't feel anything

When I love you, it's so untrue
I can't even convince myself
When I'm speaking, it's the voice of someone else

Oh it tears me up
I try to hold on, but it hurts too much
I try to forgive, but it's not enough to make it all okay

You can't play on broken strings
You can't feel anything that your heart don't want to feel
I can't tell you something that ain't real
Oh the truth hurts and lies worse
How can I give anymore
When I love you a little less than before

Oh what are we doing
We are turning into dust
Playing house in the ruins of us

Running back through the fire
When there's nothing left to save
It's like chasing the very last train when it's too late

Oh it tears me up
I try to hold on, but it hurts too much
I try to forgive, but it's not enough to make it all okay

You can't play on broken strings
You can't feel anything that your heart don't want to feel
I can't tell something that ain't real
Well the truth hurts, and lies worse
How can I give anymore
When I love you a little less than before

But we're running through the fire
When there's nothing left to save
It's like chasing the very last train
When we both know it's too late (too late)

You can't play on broken strings
You can't feel anything that your heart don't want to feel
I cant tell you something that ain't real
Well truth hurts, and lies worse
How can I give anymore
When I love you a little less than before

LET ME HOLD YOU FOR THE LAST TIME
IT'S THE LAST CHANCE TO FEEL AGAIN

Regression to childhood

2009-02-05T19:17:31Z

Anyone who is as much of a geek as me, and has some spare time to kill, may find this website very addictive!

I'm miranda774 if anyone actually joins and wants to add me to their 'personal league table'... hahahaha.

Que sera sera... I guess

2009-02-05T15:41:58Z

I'm on my third snow day! We had Monday and Tuesday off, then went back to work on Wednesday, and today we're off again. I haven't done anything particularly exciting today, though, snow-wise: I stayed at work for a couple of hours and got some long overdue marking out of the way, and I've spent much of the afternoon curled up in bed with a book.

Unfortunately, as I look out my window at the snow that is still falling with increasing heaviness, I am ambivalent.

On the one hand, it's beautiful. Everything takes on a magical quality when it's covered in snow. I love seeing the snow-covered branches and the children out throwing snowballs and making snowmen instead of playing on their XBoxes. It's also exciting, particiularly for me, who has never lived in a place where there's been a real snowfall before. It's treated me very kindly as well, as I've now managed an entire week without having to teach my most objectionable student. And the slight possibility of another snow day tomorrow is almost too incredible to be believed.

On the other hand, I want to go to Nottingham tomorrow night. No - I NEED to go to Nottingham tomorrow night. And I think that having to postpone it might just do me in. I would have thought that the A52 would be alright being a fairly major road - but I've already mentioned my foreignness in this post. Would it be safe for me, a novice at driving on snowy roads, to brave that bendy one in the dark? I'm not convinced I'll be thinking rationally enough to make a sensible decision.

So, yes. Ambivalent. Another snow day tomorrow, and more beautiful scenery? Brilliant. Another snow day that comes at the expense of something else I really have to do? Doesn't inspire as much enthusiasm.

Only time - and the hand of God - will tell.

Edit: Fortunately, things are already looking up, as I was in a morose mood because of (what I perceived to be) an argument I had last night... but thanks to the wonder that is Facebook I've just managed to explain myself and, I think, clear the air... so a weight's been lifted there. I almost feel like going and building a snowman in celebration! :-)

Fingers crossed

2009-02-03T20:30:19Z

In pursuit of happiness, I've booked my Numeracy QTS test for 6pm on Friday evening. Yes. Maths on a Friday evening. A Friday peak hour drive into Nottingham. And to make matters worse, I'll be missing my beloved Friday afternoon post-work drinks for it.

Please please please let it be worth it!

[In other news, I went sledging today. It was so much fun! There are few things I love more at the moment than snow days. Unfortunately the return to work is imminent, so I must now go and read some of 'In Cold Blood' by Truman Capote when what I really want to do is read 'Eclipse' by Stephenie Meyer. Embarrassingly enough.]

Rule Britannia (and snow)!

2009-02-02T22:03:58Z

As if it wasn't brilliant enough that I got sent home from work today because of the snow... I've just found out that we're off tomorrow too! This is particularly exciting for me as I've never had a 'snow day' before, and now I have two. I keep being given more and more reasons to love England! This is my first proper snow, too (excluding when I've been in remote places like Switzerland and Canberra), and it's been really exciting to see it falling ALL day. By the time I get anywhere I look like a walking snowman, and snow keeps blowing in my eyes and mouth, but even that is still a bit of a novelty.

So the snow day in itself was a new experience to fit with my trend for 2009, but I decided I needed to make the most of the day and do something else (other than marking GCSE coursework essays). So... I made a snowman! I've made a couple before, but never a proper one with a carrot for a nose and a scarf and everything. He was only a couple of feet tall, but personally, I think he was still cute.

Then there's the fact that I met Kathy for a drink tonight which (of course) turned into a yummy dinner at Ask... and one drink (of course!) turned into three, hehe. It was the most exciting moment when we were sitting at the table waiting for our food and she got a text message to say that there was no school tomorrow - woohoo! It was also great to arrive home - when I left, I was expecting to have to return and prepare a test for my year 12s, but I was able to just come home and mess about!

So this now leaves the question of what exciting thing I am going to do tomorrow. I was considering going into Nottingham (depending on a variety of factors), but I'll have to wait and see about that tomorrow, not least because who knows what the roads are going to be like?! I most likely won't go, to be honest. I might end up going sledging, which would also be a fairly new experience. Either way, the fact that I don't have to set my alarm for tomorrow is hugely exciting at the moment!

You're hot then you're cold, you're yes then you're no

2009-01-31T10:02:01Z

GRRRR.

I think I'm going to go to the gym and pretend the surface of the treadmill is a certain someone's head.

findyourwayback @ 2009-01-27T19:53:00

2009-01-27T19:56:14Z

I've tried to write an entry three times now but just can't formulate cohesive words and sentences that actually have the meaning I want them to. So I'm just going to rely on my 'Current Mood' thing - because that pretty much sums it up.

Finding new ways to be awed each minute

2009-01-17T17:42:19Z

With music the way it is these days, being so disposable and forgettable, it's rare that a song truly has beautiful lyrics. That's not to say I don't like the lyrics of a lot of songs, because I do - especially when they really speak to me for one reason or another. But at the same time, true poetry in song lyrics is uncommon.

Snow Patrol have changed all that.

Crack the Shutters Open

You cool your bed-warm hands down
On the broken radiator,
And when you lay them freezing on me,
I mumble, "Can you wake me later?"
But I don't really want you to stop,
And you know it so it doesn't stop you;
You run your hands from my neck to my chest.

Crack the shutters open wide; I want to bathe you in the light of day,
And just watch you as the rays tangle up around your face and body.
I could sit for hours finding new ways to be awed each minute,
Cause the daylight seems to want you just as much as I want you.

It's been minutes, it's been days.
It's been all I will remember.
Happy lost in your hair
And the cold side of the pillow,
Your hills and valleys
Are mapped by my intrepid fingers,
And in a naked slumber, I'll dream all this again.

Crack the shutters open wide; I want to bathe you in the light of day,
And just watch you as the rays tangle up around your face and body.
I could sit for hours finding new ways to be awed each minute,
Cause the daylight seems to want you just as much as I want you.

Keeps getting better

2009-01-11T11:08:50Z

Considering my birthday celebrations over the past three days involved (in order of appearance):

- Kathy, Alison, Otto, Paddy, Mat, Rob, Niki, Mark
- lemon cake, latte, apple cake, wine, meze, moussaka, baklava, beef and black bean, spring rolls, seared seabass with spiced potatoes and onion bhaji, four seasons pizza, chocolate fudge cake
- L'Occitane, books, chocolate, calendar, blueberry frangipane
- Costa, Chequers, Bodrum, Fade, Reel Cinema, Dragon Inn, The George and Ask...

in other words... lovely people, good food and LOTS of fun...

I feel pretty happy and lucky!

(Oh yeah - and even luckier, year 12 had the morning off on Thursday so I didn't have to teach them! Woohoo!)

I also feel like I'm getting old. 24! What's that?!

Looking ahead with a smile

2009-01-07T18:22:28Z

Happy new year, everyone (somewhat belated I know)! I really don't have time to update as I have SO much work to get through tonight, but I thought it was about time I made my first post for 2009 - which I have dubbed the Year of Experiences. It was going to be the Year of New Experiences, and has been, in many ways, but I don't think they all have to be new experiences - just good ones!

So far amongst the list of new experiences there has been staying up all night to watch the sunrise (I've never actually done that right through before - I've always fallen asleep at some point for a nap, haha), going skydiving, and running up a down escalator.

I can really see that 2009 will be a brilliant year though. It started wonderfully and it seems like that is continuing! I'm not even complaining about the cold weather (much) as the blanket of snow that greeted me on Monday morning was a really nice welcome back to the country. And I had a really great time in Australia - it was so, so good to see everyone again. And to walk outside without about ten layers on!

Going back to work has been a bit of a shock to the system but aside from the fact that my voice is a bit scratchy, I'm coping. There's too much to smile about to let little things like that bring me down! The rest of the week is potentially going to be brilliant, too. Although I unfortunately have to teach both of my least favourite classes on my birthday, I have a plethora of social engagements coming up over the next few days that involve just about every single one of my favourite people in England. There's no possible way I could complain about any of that!

So here's to 2009 - the year of Miranda! (Hehe.)

[By the way - has anyone seen 'Yes Man'? And is it any good?]

Festive spirit

2008-12-22T04:02:57Z

I'm in Australia with my family. It's Christmas in three days. Things are going very well back home. The sun is shining; there's a nice breeze.

I have a constant smile on my face.

Life is good.