Ups and Downs.

Life Part:
Ok, so actually, the day after the previous blog post, my life took a MASSIVE downturn and frankly my self esteem is through the floor. I've learned to try opening up and stuff, so I'm ok admitting that. I am rarely getting through a day without requiring a lot of tissues. But it'll get better. I hope. Has to, really. There are one or two things to make my life worse, but I doubt they'll happen. But I had to push on the counselling waiting list, as late in the year as it is, and I've had an assessment. Whether I get an actual session before I leave her for good is very very unlikely. So maybe I'll go through my GP instead. Or stick to using my minutes on the Samaritans or something a bit less costly than a private counselling session that's £60 an hour.

Uni and History part:
Anyway. Forward thinking. Yeah. I did my Richard III exams. Actually, because of the huge down turn, I had a terribly stressful time, and whilst I got revision done enough so I could do the exams at my normal ability, I had a mini panic before my first exam (I won't bother going into it, since people know and it's a bit of a shit story) and so started 10 minutes late. MORTIFYING. But the invigilators kindly gave me 5 or 10 minutes at the end to make up for it.
The second exam I almost had a disaster, but didn't. And it went ok. I picked one question which was asking how the issue of the Protectorate could explain the politics between April and June 1483 (which was good for me), a question on why Buckingham behaved the way he did in 1483 - which I took to mean both during the usurpation AND before/during the rebellion, which I have to say extended my answer somewhat, and the final question I picked because it was a "what if" question, which I thought could be answered in three or four ways, so I stuck my teeth into that one, rather than recite my parliament essay for the parliament question. (BORING!)

So the question was actually a statement: discuss, question. "'The death of his own son, not the death of Edward IV's sons, was what doomed Richard's kingship'. Discuss."

Frankly, I think that whilst the statement is perfectly supportable, the death of the two princes were at least what put such a lot of emphasis on his son's death and extra strain on Richard's kingship. So there was that to consider. And then I spent the rest of the essay slagging off Richard's foreign and domestic policy, and explaining that even if his son had survived, it is not certain that he would have had more support at Bosworth, or that he would have changed his foreign policy anyway, which would mean that he would have certainly been at war on more than one front.

So yeah. That was my essay time. Then I went with my seminar group for a series of drinks and a last hurrah at the Carlton, the cheesiest club in Lancashire. It was fun. I had a hard time keeping my thoughts on a positive track during certain songs, and I will for quite some time with certain topics or themes, but on the whole I'm glad I went.

More Life Stuff: 
Then I went home for 5 days. I met up with my childhood best friend and caught up with her, and rebuilt a bridge or two, I think. And I went to a friend from my sixth form college's birthday bbq, and met some people there. One or two even added me on facebook, so we'll see where that goes, if anywhere. Though one I'm afraid has disappointed me a little in the abuse she's giving feminists who have the theory of "benevolent chivalry" - an essay for next time!
Still, feminism, unfortunately, is a dirty word, and even women (including me, if certain "feminists" are involved) find feminism annoying or 'unnecessary'.

I then went shopping with two friends, and again with my grandmother. We got served at Pizza Express by this guy that looked like an Italian George Clooney. Oo-er. It was uncanny. Really. All he lacked was that gravelly voice. Must remember to see if there are jobs going there, actually. I wouldn't mind working there.
I've applied for a job at Next, since that branch have me on file, but I've not heard from them yet. Unless they were my missed call (which was anonymous) and have given up unfairly.

Future things!!
Anyway! The real reason I am writing this blog post: I am trying out a book club at home. They meet monthly, and are very friendly and helpful. I emailed, asking what age range it was, and whether a 21 year old would be welcome. It is lead by a 24 year old, and she's not called Brenda! So they've got gold stars already.
I've got the book that we're to discuss in July. (My first meeting!) It's by award winner Alice Munro - a name I'd heard before - and is a collection of short stories by her, all under the volume "Too Much Happiness".

To keep busy and interested and stuff, I'll be making notes as I read the book. All studenty, I know, but I confess I miss it already! So I'll be making a series of entries that are book club related. Obviously, these'll cross over with my reviews in general, anyway, but these are going to have specific book club tags to them, too.

So with any luck, those of you that follow me will be interested, and future people that stumble over my blog will be interested, too.