In pursuit of Health, Wealth and Happiness

Kittikins

Hi Tete, have you called the Education Depts directly to check if there's a PGCE open day rather than a general PG open day? Oxford Brookes kind of hid theirs on the website and it was only because I called and was lead to the relevant page that I was able to register on it.

I had a day like that yesterday......felt and still do really sore from doing too much walking and standing at the weekend (oh, ok and dancing tipsily and wildly at a party on Saturday night ) and wondering if I should apply as a disabled person as I can't do much in the way of walking more of the time than I like to admit......

Today I came in, had a great chat with my boss and he's given me some pointers for some volunteering at a local school. Hoorah!

DD and I won membership to the village twinning association so hopefully I'll get to parler un peu de francais at their events, and thanks for the idea to watch French stuff on Youtube, brilliant idea, why have I been so dumb and watching stupid comedians and other random stuff on there instead?!?!

Tete_en_l'Air

Hi Kitty- I'm sure I saw something somewhere about a drive to get more disabled people applying for PGCEs, I think it was inamongst the stuff about getting men to apply for primaries - but I didn't pay too much attention as neither of those apply to me. Don't want to get your hopes up in case I read it wrong, but might be worth having a look at?

Will definitely ask about PGCE open days then - it seems strange to have the PG open day 3 months after the closing date for the following Sept, and 21 months before the closing date for the year after!

That's lovely that you can be open with your boss about it though - I think this is what's stressing me out the most is trying to fit all of this in around my work without them knowing (in my stupid pigheaded way I don't want to give them any advance notice that I'll be leaving, why should I when they've treated me as a disposable commodity? Plus, I might not get a place and then everyone would know and it would be awful!)

I found a funny Amelie bloopers clip on youtube, I am so in love with that woman - so cute! BBC4 sometimes has foreign films on that you can access on iplayer too.

Kittikins

DD and I never make risotto with wine, such a waste *hic*, she makes the best risotto ever, like my cooking, different every time

Tete_en_l'Air

Oh man this sweetcorn soup is grim. The white sauce and stock elements of it have separated and it's all gelatainous Won't make that one again!

Kittikins

Could you maybe put a huge dollop of soy or chilli sauce into it to perk it up a bit? But it does sound pretty grim I agree......_pale_

Tete_en_l'Air

I put some salt and pepper in Kitty but it was the globules that had appeared in it that put me off! I had some ryvita and philly light instead!

Well here I am at work, everyone has left and I have two hours to kill before my French class! This has worked out quite well as it means I can get some of my list done in an office setting which is always easier. Food first though, lovely light choices moussaka (at least I hope it's lovely!)

Dinah93

I did my post grad at Newcastle, so if you have any general PG or uni questions I might be able to help. As a uni it has a great atmosphere and really cracking student support, but I guess like most of them most of the social activities are geared to the first years who have so little study they're just plastered all the time. They've upgraded a huge number of buildings in the last few years, so now it's much more brand new/400 years old rather than 400 years old/concrete 1970s with no windows and no working heating.

shrimpy_80

Hope your french class was good Tete! I don't think wine in cooking counts personally as its not as though you're actually 'having a drink', I think psychologically there's a difference. Unless you're planning on scoffing a box of liqueur chocolates or something!

Food should never have globules in it...

Kittikins

Salut, how was your French class last night? Feeling buzzy, have got 2 weeks' experience set up at DD's school and am writing a letter to another school to ask for a week or something....

Tete_en_l'Air

Hi all - ahh the French class was brilliant! Really enjoyed it - the teacher is lovely and really funny and really ignited my passion for the language and culture again. I felt so refreshed afterwards, it was so nice to engage my brain in something it actually enjoys doing

Great news about the work exp Kitty, I need to phone friend's cousin tonight as I've not heard a thing from her after she was really positive and went away to sort definite dates with her Head (that was last Thurs I think, and I text her yesterday lunch time too Hate to pester but sometimes you do have to chase people...) - I need to get my holidays in at work as meetings etc are starting to pile up

I had a good look at the teaching site last night and there's still no funding info available for 2013-14 - I'm guessing this will become available when the application window opens in Oct. I couldn't find an actual application form to look at but there is a lot of guidance info which pretty much tells you what the questions will be - pretty straightforward apart from the old personal statement!

Have had today off work and been along to some antique auctions with Dad, bit rubbish though and neither of us bought anything. I prefer my second-hand goods to be bargains and £30-60 is not that in my eyes! Plus all the things I liked (a Sadler apple sauce pot, a picture frame, a beaded necklace) came in massive lots with like a sideboard, a stuffed owl and 1000 teapots. Not ideal.

On the plus side, I discovered that my favourite local yarn and haberdashery shop has a distinctly larger wool dept in its branch in my new work town than the one in my hometown or old work town and I can get 31 different shades of my favourite Styecraft there for only £1.89, rather than the choice of about 8 in the other branches, or having to pay postage to buy online - this made me absurdly happy!