Attack of the Crazy Fathers

The big bang !!!

The time is here again when thousands of students scurry around trying to find courses either to join friends, follow the "recession trend" or to genuinely edify themselves by becoming more versed in their specialized area. The doom and gloom in the media regarding university places has in my opinion aroused massive interest in prospective students and parents who gladly welcome an opportunity to boot their tweens through the door.

Greenwich University has recognized this and our Clearing team has been using all resources to ensure every weeping applicant, every concerned parent, crazy dad and caring tutor has the opportunity to seek places or voice concerns about applications. I understand the depth of the decisions as not so long ago I was under the same pressure and along with my colleagues and the admissions department we do our best to embrace, guide and reassure anyone who comes in contact with us. Working as a Clearing Officer is a very dignified position and many life paths will depend on the accuracy and efficiency of our operations at this time. I am indeed honoured to be offered this opportunity. It's got its great sides but I am experiencing some strange side effects as well. I will give you a peek... about 2 nights ago I had a dream that I was at the office with clearing files covering me from head to toe and I have on several occasions answered my phone with my usual "Greenwich University, course enquires, how can I help?" I am not quite sure if I seemed to be a complete nutcase or like I was running some bogus hotline from my mobile, but my kind friends have refused to mention it ever again, saving me from utter embarrassment. I guess they know that sometimes my lights are on, but there's no guarantee that someone is always home....

Very interestingly, this has happened to a few of the newbies too and I have a good laugh at them without making the scenario seem any at all familiar...hehehe

Sorry if you are yawning because you were already successful securing your place of educational torment for the next 3 years ... but I really want to congratulate all the successful 2010 applicants, WELCOME TO GREENWICH UNIVERSITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is a life experience and you won't all be 18 or 19 for more than one year, so you need to make it count. The Fresher's fortnight will be amazing and will culminate with the ball. Shortee Blitz, one of Kiss's best djs will be there to entertain until the wee hours of the morning and I know there will be a lot of excitement and hormone rushes. In the end when the fun is done, I encourage you to bring your skills and zest to life and use this opportunity at university to shine and excel.

On another note, my summer break is drawing to an end and unfortunately I have not been reading any academic materials or challenging myself intellectually, unless watching South Park and Family Guy counts as edification of some sort. I have occasionally followed the news regarding developments in the Tourism and travel sector but I need to be doing much more and I feel uneasy about this.
Year 2 will not be a walk in the park or a skip in the field, but I hope my endorphins kick in soon and I get in the swing of things and get my mojo back like Cheryl in that hair advert.

I am dead tired but Notting Hill Carnival 2010 will be here very soon and I am crossing my fingers and short ginger-looking toes hoping it doesn't rain ;(. I want to go "wine up" and can't wait to smell the jerk chicken smoke and feel the heavy bass in the reggae and calypso music. It will be Caribbean heaven for 2 whole days and this Jamo wants to party it up. Carnival will be a great run up to my birthday celebrations which will for the first time be in a club; it's always been on the beach with strawberry daiquiris laced with Jamaican rum, bikini clad beauties, tricked out cars, close friends and family. One of the things to do before you die is to skinny dip on a beach in the Caribbean on the night of a full moon; you will never feel closer to nature, as long as you watch out for the sea urchins or slimy eels that will definitely do damage to the system. But yeah, this year it will be done London style and I will be up in da club with my new uni friends. It's also my last celebration before the new school term and before the season of itchy dry skin and super chapped lips. I dislike winter as you may have already guessed; my knee still has a nasty mark from skidding on a side walk in front of at least 20 strangers. They offered me no help at all and I sense the weather has also made some people as icy as the streets...

Once again to all the freshers of 2010: breathe a sigh of collective relief and enjoy the days of your youth (even if I sound like your granny). To those not so fortunate, rally the troops and prepare for the second round of the battle and fight to win next time.

From Momo with love.

Tears and Bugspray

I welcome you back to my blog and back to my journey. I am still undergoing recovery from the mental and physical scars that I am left with post operation. At the time my brain could hardly use 2 cells to put the word “surgery” together and I cried my heart out at the thought of being in a lonely disinfectant-smelling hospital with cold metal objects poking my flesh. Ok......... so I am being a bit dramatic because everyone knows you don’t actually see or feel the prodding; but a stormy cloud of wet mascara and eyeliner was evident on my face in the consultation room. What’s worse, there is no mummy here to make me chicken’s foot soup on demand and I have had to be a really grown up girl about things :(:(:(. Please don’t laugh at my weird gastronomic choice; I assure you I will eat most things that has a pulse and that includes porcupine fish, iguana, goats testicles.... the lot.

I entered the hospital a nervous bawling wreck again the following Friday but the doctors and nurses made me feel like a princess and took really good care of me. So much so that I wrote the NHS to let them know I appreciated their services; I would have felt really guilty not doing so even if thoughts of death ran across my mind seconds before I went totally blank. It confirms that I am indeed such a sweetheart!!! It’s also a simple reminder that people should find the time to say nice things, ,no matter how small.

I was woozy and drunk after the procedure which was quite pleasurable; my bed never felt so soft and I faded into myself and absolutely loved it!! I was given the necessary time off from my job by my very kind manager and the support I got from my other colleagues brought tears of gratitude to my face. One morning I took about 20 minutes wobbling from my bedroom to get the chime at the door when I saw the most beautiful yellow rose and lily bouquet sent to me from the team. The pain left me at the sight of them and I willed my muscles to make the small trek to the vase where I showered them with lovely filtered water. Someone read my mind and knew I love flowers.....

The new week has started and I’ve got a hearty welcome back to work, to be honest it was dreadfully boring at home, the walls started to talk and the PS3 basically did a “dutty wine” (look it up) on the couch a couple days before. I realized that I really wanted to get out the house. On my second work day it was lovely to see the eager faces of members new the clearing 2010 team. So innocent and cute, let’s see how they work under the scary impending pressure of Main Clearing!!!
On another note, the British summer is the shortest and wettest I have seen in my life, I am already considering donning a coat and will have to fold away the daisy dukes and tuck my sandals in the hidden corner of the wardrobe where they will rot waiting for sun.

All in all life is a big camp out; either you have the bug spray or you don’t. Again, big up fluffykins my follower, see you soooooooonnnnnnn.

From Momo, with love.