New Year, New Post

Hello everyone!

I'm back!

And I promise to keep my blog up to date from now on. Honest.

I spend New Years Eve on the Embankment, as I have the past two years and it was as awesome as ever :D

We got to London for about 1900, and met in Leicester Square. We had ordered pizza earlier in the day so it would be ready for us to collect so we could dash down to the river side and munch on it there.

I was surprised at how many people were already there at 1930 this year, last year it was empty, but it was about 2-3 people deep already by the time we turned up. Maybe we need to get there earlier next year :(

There were hardly any animations projected onto the Shell Building this year, just a few dots that looked strangely like a Windows Standard screensaver about 2300. No Boris this year :(

As midnight approached, the London Eye was illuminated and the light show got more and more complex the closer to midnight we got. It was obvious that the organisers had a tight budget this year.

The fireworks were not stingey, however. They may have been shorter this year, but they were still impressive. At one point, the sky looked like it was full of golden rain, which was beautiful. I am always impressed with the way that they launch the fireworks from the Eye, it always looked good.

The plan for after the fireworks was to stay put on the Embankment and wait for the crowds to disappear, then head towards the park. This plan worked fairly well...

Until the blizzards. I was absolutely freezing. We were planning on making bacon, but it was too cold. According to the met office, the temperature didn't fall below 0.2oC, but there must have been a very powerful wind chill factor, which we didn't feel until we left the crowd. It's amazing how warm 200,000 people can keep you :P It's the penguin effect.

So we gave up about 0300, and headed towards the station where we jumped on a train and headed home.

It was a good night, and it was a shame that it was soooo cold. We did avoid the crowds, however, which was the main aim, so I think we should do this again next year.

Hey Jude

Watch this... The metamorphasis of a perfectly innocent Beatles classic to a WW2 Nazi propaganda song by pointing out that Jew in German, is in fact "Jude". Use your imagination a bit...

"Hey Jude, dont make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.

Hey Jude, dont be afraid.
You were made to go out and get her.
The minute you let her under your skin,
Then you begin to make it better.

And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain,
Dont carry the world upon your shoulders.
For well you know that its a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder.

Hey Jude, dont let me down.
You have found her, now go and get her.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.

So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin,
Youre waiting for someone to perform with.
And dont you know that its just you, hey Jude, youll do,
The movement you need is on your shoulder.

Hey Jude, dont make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her under your skin,
Then youll begin to make it
Better better better better better better, oh."

V Festival

As I was in Essex, I thought why not... lets pay a visit to the Festival of V in Hylands Park.

Not as a punter, I would like to point out... that would be a bit hardcore! But with the ol' Johners.

I was posted on a medical post, which was right opposite the 4Music stage. This meant that I got to see people such as Fat Boy Slim, Pendulum, Dizzee Rascal, Jet, Keane, The Enemy, Paolo Nutini, Katie Perry, Alisha Dixon and Lightning Seeds.

By see, I meant I either caught a glimpse of them from the corner of my eye or heard them whilst filling out paperwork. It was quite a busy day for us, especially as the weather was amazing...

One thing that I appreciated very much, due to the sheer number of customers we had over the two days was the presence of a pharmacy right next door. :D Only other Johners would appreciate this, a pharmacy that sold plasters, sun cream, anti histamines and paracetamol. :D

One good thing about being so busy is that I got to get a lot of casualty experience. Especially as I was on a Medical Centre post, this meant I got a lot of experience of shadowing doctors and nurses, which all adds to the UCAS personal statement. :P

I was very grateful for the people giving out free chocolate :D Thanks Aero Mint...

Also thanks to Vitamin water who came and gave us cool drinks during the day :D Mucho Appreciated!

For whole weekend, it perplexed me as to why there were people walking around carrying hundreds of cups in towers that stretched higher than their hats :P Turns out they were doing an exchange a number of used cups for money off more drinks, to help the place tidy. Good thinking V Fest!

Good weekend!

Home Bound

So after finally leaving Portsmouth, I'm back at home for a week or so to spend some time with my family.

I'm also having a full health check up. Opticians Monday, Dentist tuesday! Turns out my eyes are fine but I may need a tooth out soon. Meh... cross that bridge when I get to it. Damn Wisdom teeth.

Monday was pub quiz! We came last but we sure nibbled on Nobby's Nuts.

Dan came to visit on the Tuesday, and we went out for dinner to a Thai restaurant in Tarpots, which was really nice :)

Thursday I went to visit Keira in Hertforshire! Went to the Rye House pub and had many drinks and the biggest ice cream sundae ever! nom nom nom nom nom....

Friday I popped into London to pick something up for Dad, and had a random stroll along the North bank from Southwark to Tower Hill. It was a nice day, but suddenly changed dramatically just as I got to Tower Hill. Woop!

So I managed to fill my week quite easily :D

Last Day at Work

I have now finished work, this means I can leave Portsmouth.

HHHHHOOOOOORRRRRAAAAAAYYYYYY

I was actually quite sad to leave work. Happy to hand over to my replacement, but I think I am going to miss the people and the place. My last day was basically chatting to people, saying goodbye and people making the same joke over and over again...

"doing much are we???"

dear lord.

I also got presented with a few leaving gifts from my boss. Some electric candles, a money tree, and a dissertation for dummies book :)

I also got a card, which everyone signed, which was nice.

Broom Broom Broom

I PASSED MY DRIVING TEST

BRRRROOOOOOOOMMM

Couldn't have had a better test! 7 minors.

I had a driving lesson before hand, when my driving instructor decided it was a good time to show me under the bonnet. As soon as he lifted up the bonnet however, the burst of smoke wasn't a good sign, and the engine was chucking out heat like it was the Albert Hall...

Never mind, I drove home, then was picked up again after a short lunch. I have never been so scared in my life. My instructor gave me all this "well if you don't pass then..." advice, which didn't help things. Pulled into the test centre, and my driving tester got into the car. He slammed the door, and said very sharply... "RIGHT DIANA, DRIVE ON...BAY PARK FIRST"

AHHHHH, of course I did what he said out of pure fear, and pulled out of the bay, then back in.

Success!

Next, to drive out of the test centre. Not only is the junction to the test centre on a hill (so hill start) but its onto a 40 limit narrow country road on a blind corner. As you can imagine, a lot of people fail driving out the test centre :P

BUT I DIDN'T HAHA!

(but I did get a minor....meh....)

As soon as we got out of the test centre, the tester suddenly lightened up a bit and he attempted to clear up the whole Essex/Portsmouth/Surrey confusion. He failed... and probably went away more confused than before...

My test was at 1402, and for some reason, there was noone on the road, the Cosham roundabout was empty, and I got green lights pretty much all the route!

I did, however, get stuck behind a cyclist. Not any cyclist, this cyclist had a dodgy back wheel. I'm sure it was about to fall off, and this guy was swerving all over the road. Now, as the road was narrow, I decided to hang back, and not overtake until the road opened up a bit, but the tester got a bit edgy.

"JUST OVERTAKE" he boomed, and after argument I did as he instructed and we zoomed back to the test centre.

Phew...

A few minors for not driving eco-friendly and a few signalling issues, apart from that, :D

Proms

Dan came to the proms with me :D

:D

:D

We decided to go to prom 31, an evening with the National Youth Orchestra. We heard Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 in B Flat minor, Lutoslawski's Concerto for Orchestra and Respighi's Roman Festivals.

Before that we decided to head up to London early, grab some food in Leicester Square and head to Hyde Park, to enjoy the sunshine and chill out for a bit before entering the Royal Albert Inferno...

The Albert Hall was looking as splendid as ever, but was also as baking as ever... Although being strictly frowned upon, we had to choice but to fan ourselves with a leaflet or suffer slowly cooking.

The performance was awesome, a brilliant performance by the NYO!

Same again next year?