1) I've basically lost my laptop to the new 'Club Penguin' phase which my younger brother and sister are crazy about and they fight over it, so for a quiet life, they get my laptop and they won't budge off it, but honestly I have enjoyed spending time doing other things.
2) It's pretty much down hill at school; all my exams, coursework is suddenly picking up the pace- I've got a huge business assignment to do; with a three hour follow up exam on the assignment- I've had Geography, Physics, Spanish exams scattered, lots of English work- we're doing the Literature course now; so it means lots of novels and poems to begin to analyse and depict- so we've got lots of work to fit it all in; plus I've got two years worth of Maths to learn because I'm rubbish at it! I've been busy and for once in my life have been DOING homework when set ( well for most of my subjects...)!
3) Exams and homework has meant little Shadow and clicker time; each time I've spent with him this year has been busy- so little time with him doing clicker. This will change this week- I can assure you now!
I've really began to pick up the pace in my other passion outside of horses; Spanish. I love languages and I study it at school- but I have a particular affection for the language. I love the Hispanic people- their togetherness; their optimism; their culture; their spirit; their horses... and I love their language too! It's so much fun being able to speak in another language; I always feel good when I can understand things and break text down; so I've been inclined to be rather 'sad' and have been watching 'The Simpsons' and 'The Rugrats' in Spanish...it's pretty fast for me; but it's progress nevertheless! I've bought two books; 'Easy Spanish Reader' which is pretty straight forward and gets more harder as you go through; which I've had little struggle with so far and then 'Read and Think Spanish' which is a book with a culmination of articles- in Spanish; about Latin America and Spain- traditions; culture, food, people, tourism, cinema/literature; travel; geography; history and music; that is still quite advanced but it has lots of useful vocab and more complex sentence structures!
I did a listening paper ( the new specimen ones which are always a bit shoddy) and didn't do as well as I'd hoped- I reckon I'd have hit a B grade on it; which I know isn't TERRIBLE- but I'm aiming for A*! I tried to not be disheartened- in the sense I've not revised at all; I've only really began the course last September ( 2010) and so I've done no practice papers before; so I suppose that's not too bad going! Definitely room for improvement though, so my room has been decorated with sticky notes!
I had a good day today, I went to the GCSE Poetry Live convention in London's 'We Will Rock You!' theatre, and although one or two of the poets were a little dull for me; overall they were really inspirational. Simon Armitage was funny and I really enjoyed what Gillian Clarke had to say; she made some really important points and things which makes you just think for a while; she moved me in one of her poems too. I think overall, John Agard just pipped Gillian to the post- I loved him, definitely saved the best to last. When I did the language course; his poem 'Half-Caste' was really enjoyable and he made so many important points about racial discrimination but how the term 'half-caste' is one of quite an offensive nature- it was great to hear him read it how it is MEANT to be read and although I don't need to study it anymore; it's such a great poem to listen to. He also said something which may possibly stick with me for the rest of my life;
''There are only 26 letters in the alphabet- but if you put the words in the right order, you can make something beautiful''
I think for any writer, aspiring writer or someone ( like me) who just enjoys writing or reading, it really is a wonderful quote. Language is a beautiful thing. It really is; and I feel that poetry is one form of expressing yourself- I'm no poet, but I like writing because I can express myself; far better than talking.
I noticed this with the poets too; there were some ( John and Simon for example), who were in fact quite 'interesting' speakers- their voices varied in pitch and so did their accents, but others had slightly monotonous tones but their poetry was moving and had such a deeper meaning if you see beyond the metaphors and anecdotes for what they are really trying to portray to the reader.
I wanted to end my post with Gillian Clarke's poem; 'The Field-Mouse'
he Field Mouse
Summer, and the long grass is a snare drum.The air hums with jets.Down at the end of the meadow,far from the radio's terrible news,we cut the hay. All afternoonits wave breaks before the tractor blade.Over the hedge our neighbour travels his fieldin a cloud of lime, drifting our landwith a chance gift of sweetness.
The child comes running through the killed flowers,his hands a nest of quivering mouse,its black eyes two sparks burning.We know it will die and ought to finish it off.It curls in agony big as itselfand the star goes out in its eye.Summer in Europe, the field's hurt,and the children kneel in long grassstaring at what we have crushed.
Before day's done the field lies bleeding,the dusk garden inhabited by the saved, voles,frogs, and nest of mice. The wrong that wokefrom a rumour of pain won't heal,and we can't face the newspapers.All night I dream the children dance in grasstheir bones brittle as mouse-ribs, the airstammering with gunfire, my neighbour turnedstranger, wounding my land with stones.
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