It Rained Today...

My creativity is on the blink today so I went for a factual, un-funny comment. Hope you don't mind.

So Summer has begun, I have finished my time at uni and I have moved back home to Barry. Boo. I don't really like the summer, I hate feeling hot and while the Welsh summer is typically grey and rainy there is the odd day or two when the sun decides to fry me alive. If I wanted a nice summer I would go on holiday or move away, I don't expect to have it in Wales! I am very sad that uni is over as it means for the first time in my life I am no longer a part of the education system and I have to grow up and get a job (NOOOOOO!) not the the job hunting is at all fruitful... As for living in Barry, I really, really, really miss Aberystwyth; the place itself and the people there and the fact that you could use Welsh anywhere and there'd be someone who could understand you! Though there are benefits to Barry, I do have family and friends (to any of you reading this - love you!!) and I suppose being 20 minutes from Cardiff is much better than being about 2 hours from anything.

I haven't posted much lately simply because without uni or a job or anything my life has become rather dull and there is nothing worth posting really. I need to start thinking about a way of making this blog more interesting but don't panic! I'll still post about my boring life and continue to share the music that I love because, frankly, you should all be listening to it! No Eurovision posts though (is that a cheer I hear?!) as that's over until May next year so there's no point bothering with that.

So yeah, no controversy, no humorous stories or anything, nothing to rant about. This is a new one for me, folks. If anything does happen though I'll be sure to let you know!

Quick reminder of some me-related links: Facebook, Twitter

Until next time Nottmares!
Liam    

Less Revise-ie, More Speak-ie

Hello Nottmares (GaGa has her 'monsters' and Minaj has her 'barbz' so I thought I'd have 'Nottmares', let's see if it catches on)! I am fresh from finishing my Welsh oral exam which went OK, I think. I have a problem talking in general, in any language, so I think that this exam was always gonna be a challenge but the examiners led me to believe that it went OK, so phew! I had half an hour to read a random article (in Welsh) - mine was about technological advancements and how they affect language - and I then had 15 minutes to discuss that article with three lecturers. I feel that I was incredibly luckily to essentially just talk about Facebook when other people I know had topics such as the current droughts in England and sustainable farming in the 3rd World. With that exam out of the way, that leaves me with 3 exams to go, starting next Thursday.


A few posts ago I wrote about an event that I would be attending, namely Dawns Fai (May Ball), but as it transpires I am no longer going. As you might have guessed from the aforementioned post, I was never really up for it after the very disappointing line up was announced but I was concerned about other things as well such as my motion sickness (it is honestly really bad) which would only be fuelled by alcohol and my foot which has recently been in agony and I don't know why, though finally after about a week it's stopped hurting so much. Anyway, I've sold my ticket so it's not like I've paid £40 to not go somewhere and I think I will regret not going for the experience but I'm definitely not going to regret missing the 'big name' acts. That still makes me scoff. 


Unfortunately I have become an emotional wreck at a very inconvenient time. Sometimes I get upset for no apparent reason and other times I get upset about my feelings for someone, which has always been a major inconvenience really. I'm on a bit of a moody roller-coaster; last night I was a bit of a mess (emotionally) yet now I'm not feeling too bad - though I put that down to post-exam high. Hopefully, I will stop being so pathetic and emotionally-retarded soon so I can focus on my revision for the upcoming exams like a good student. 


To end on a happier note, Eurovision is coming!!! I got my official album last Saturday and I immediately imported it to iTunes and synced it to my iPod, though that did mean erasing my play counts... The Grand Final will be held in 17 days and the past couple of days I've had people talking about the party I have planned which fuels my childlike excitement for the contest. I get so much more excited for Eurovision than I do for my own birthday and even Christmas. No joke. I have even ordered glow sticks for this wonderful occasion.

Oh, I also, finally, got a haircut. Just thought I'd let you know. Been putting that off for a while...


I will try and post as often as I can, but May is a busy month for me, so please do forgive me if I scarcely post - I haven't forgotten about you! x       

Mai 2012

I can't believe that it's May already - my final full month in lovely Aberystwyth. Though this thought is rather saddening, May is setting itself up to be a very busy month with some things to 'get out of the way' and other things to look forward to. This is also really the last time I can make a list of things that are definitely happening as I have no idea about what I'm gonna do post-uni - scary times! Anyways, if you fancy stalking me you can easily find me using these details...

• Wednesday 9 May:
  > Welsh oral exam
• Friday 11 May:
  > Dawns Fai
• Wednesday 16 May:
  > Cold War exam 
• Saturday 19 May:
  > Gloywi Iaith exam
• Tuesday 22 May:
  > 1st Eurovision semi-final
• Thursday 24 May:
  > British/Irish Politics exam (last exam!)
  > 2nd Eurovision semi-final
• Saturday 26 May:
  > Eurovision 2012 Final (party!)
• Saturday 9 June:
  > Moving back to Barry
• Thursday 12 July:
  > Graduation

Those are my final DEFINITE plans until I figure out what I'm gonna do after uni/graduation.
The exams are the 'get out of the way' things on my list whereas as Dawns Fai, Eurovision and Graduation are most definitely things to look forward to.
Also, can I just say: who the hell puts a Welsh grammar exam (Gloywi Iaith) on a Saturday?! Not only is Saturday a terrible time for an exam, it's at 2pm - TWO PM - how ridiculous! Revising/exam-sitting until 4pm on a Saturday is rage-inducing but I think I hide it fairly well...

I shall also use this post, if I may, to warn readers that from now until the end of May (and possibly beyond), there will be a LOT of posts about Eurovision 2012. I can't help it, I'm addicted, and perhaps I should get help but I don't want to. Eurovision lover and proud!! 

For everyone else who is/will be sitting exams in the next couple of months or so - pob lwc! (good luck!) - and for everyone else have a fantastic, exam-free month and, if you're looking for something to do, watch Eurovision. It'll be amazing, I promise!
Have a great May x

Writers Block

You know there are people who define themselves as 'academic' or 'creative'? If you're academic you're into things like history, politics, maths, etc whereas creative people or more into art, music, media, etc - totally generalising and stereotyping here so forgive me for my rudeness! If I had to put myself into one category I would probably lump for academic because I am much more into my politics and history than art or music but one thing I do love is creative writing. Followers of the blog will probably already know that one of my current uni courses is Ysgrifennu Creadigol - creative writing. In Welsh.

My course is assessed by the submittal of a portfolio (worth 100%) of about 50-80 pages, I am currently at about 25 and the deadline is March 1st. Uh-oh. You might be thinking to yourself that I have nearly a whole month to go yet, as that it is what I was thinking at first, but I have to allow time for work to be looked over and allow time for my work to be bound professionally not to mention that being creative takes time, for me at least. I am essentially using this post to moan about my uni work. It's like procrastination but I'm getting something done! 

Welsh is not my first language. Although I have no problems speaking Welsh informally and have been taught through the medium of Welsh for almost 3 years that doesn't change the fact that I still naturally think in English and that I find it easier to be creative in English and I have, in fact, been told by a lecturer, after having read one of my short stories, that I need to think in Welsh when planning/writing my story. Much easier said than done. Welsh is also painfully different to English (though I think English looks like a funny language after having studied Welsh for so long) and so a lot of extra work is necessary to write in the language effectively. Purely just to get my camera out, I have taken a picture of the things I require when writing creatively in Welsh:

We have (going clockwise, starting with the green book):

• A Dictionary of Welsh and English Idiomatic Phrases - a rather important dictionary for idioms or sayings, for example we don't say 'raining cats and dogs' in Welsh, we say 'bwrw hen wragedd a ffyn' which translates as 'raining old women and sticks'
• Y Thesawrws Cymraeg (The Welsh Thesaurus) - useful for creative writing
• My black book, it has all my poetry and story ideas and is, of course, private!
• Sweeties - can't write without some sweets!
• Welsh dictionary - there are some words I just don't know!
• Y Treigladur (The Mutation Dictionary) - I won't explain Welsh mutations as it would probably take a post of its own. I'm fairly confident with my mutations but just I keep it nearby just in case.
• Yr Odliadur (The Rhyming Dictionary) - I am terrible at making poems that rhyme in any language, it's too strict a poem for me but I have it just in case I fancy it
• Pa Arddodiad? (Which Preposition?) - Lots of Welsh verbs come with specific prepositions so if I don't know the particular preposition I can look it up
• You might also have noticed the apple, I'm eating loads at the moment and in the corner is Mwmi, a cushion/teddy thing which has nothing to do with creative writing

I find that all these books hamper creativity a bit and besides all that I am known for my lazy attitude towards work and as you can see, there is a lot of effort involved. 

Anyways, I had better get on with my writing (sigh) but thank you for taking the time to indulge me in my self-pitying moment of procrastination. Diolch!

Liam x

2012: Exam Season

So I've already fallen short of my 'once a week update' promise but I guess you already knew that that would happen, right? Sowy! Anyways, it is 2012, despite what my writing hand thinks, and I am back Aberlandia, the Abersphere - Aberystwyth and I was so glad that my room was nice and tidy on my return. I had worried it would be messy because the day I left I was much more focused on throwing up and recovering from what is known as a 'hangover'. Rough. 


I have realised that my once a week update might be slightly difficult as I am currently in exam season and so most of my time is taken up with revision (yay...). I had my first exam yesterday (Jan 18) - Russian Politics. It went all right, I think. The course is very good, it's so interesting and only really heightened my strange interest in all things Russian but the exam was an exam, there is no fun to be had in exams no matter what it's subject may be. My revision mainly consisted of drawing up brainstorms, I call them brainstorms because that is what they are and I really don't see the need in re-naming them 'mind maps', surely a mind map would be much too complex to draw up? Here are my revision efforts for you all to see:

7/14 of my brainstorms

A closer look at 1 of my brainstorms, "Khruschev's legacy" 

Just two more exams to go now, Development of the Welsh Language and Modern Welsh Poetry neither of which I am looking forward and have only really just started revising for. They are both rather difficult subjects in all honesty and I now have to effectively change language as Russian Politics was done through English, gonna have a Welsh fortnight I think! 


Hope the beginnings of 2012 are going well for the rest of you and I WILL update the blog next week after my Welsh exams - that's a promise!
Liam x

It's all coming together...

Life, at the moment, is most definitely on the up! This summer is turning out to be a good one as it seems that things are starting to work out for me. My new found happiness began with the publication of my second year Uni results. I was dreading them and was sure that I would have to do at least one resit. One of my second year modules International Political Theory Today was extremely difficult, I'm not really into the theoretical side of International politics, too many names and dates and schools and theories, I just hated it! Come revision time I put this module off almost completely as I had no idea what to do and only two days before the exam did I realise that I had a book that explained everything there is to this module so I crammed. To cut a long story short I had a panic attack and so though it safe to assume that I had failed this module. Amazingly I managed to score 65 - a 2:1 - a great result, so pleased! 


In my other politics module, Wales & Devolution, I got 67 - also a 2:1 - slightly disappointed that I didn't get a 1st in that. For my Welsh modules, Cymraeg Llyfr a Chymraeg Llafar (written and spoken Welsh) and Llên Gwerin (folklore) I scored less than 60 in both which, for me, is rather disappointing but I am still extremely pleased that I have passed my second year - just one to go!! Already looking forward to my final year as I have some exciting modules lined up such as Russian Politics, The Politics of Britain & Ireland and Ysgrifennu Creadigol (creative writing).


Speaking of creative writing I have some work to do concerning publishers but I can't go too much into it - don't wanna spoil anything in case it doesn't happen!


Another reason for my new happiness is something that has bothered me for about six years. The long version of this story can be read in the First Love series on my blog. The short version is that I've had feelings for a friend of mine for a very long time, pretty much since I came to terms with my sexuality. I think the feelings have been worked out and we are still very good friends which is the most important thing and I am so happy to finally be over all this, as I'm sure he is too!


Lastly (I realise this post is of near essay proportions!) I have not experienced any form of down-ness or depression since revising for my exams back in April/May. Good times! :)


Hope all is well with you, my fabulous readers! Do let me know how you're doing!
Diolch am ddarllen,
Liam x  

Amserlen

Since before my January exams I have had to email various Aberystwyth departments in order to try and sort out my mess of a timetable. What made the situation worse is that occasionally it would change randomly, sorting out one clash and causing another! I am the only person doing Welsh/International politics in my year and I wouldn't be surprised if I were the only one in the uni at the moment so the departments don't really gel, hence major timetable problems every semester. Sigh.

But today, 8 days into my second semester, my timetable has found a great deal of peace, there are no clashes and only one small hiccup which I can live with. So, here is an insight into my studies:

(For non-Welsh speakers, my Welsh modules are: Cymraeg Llyfr a Chymraeg Llafar - Written Welsh and Spoken Welsh; Gloywi Iaith - Language Improvement; Ysgrifennu Creadigol - Creative Writting and Llên Gwerin - Folk Literature)

Only one 9am, which I'm very pleased with and no clashes. So why am I still moaning? It's the location of these places.

Because I'm nice (and I have this time to waste) I have taken a small map of a bit of Aber to mark important, uni locations for you. Starting top left, marked '20' is Pentre Jane Morgan, right on the peak of Penglais Hill, where I live. It is then a short, couple-of-minutes walk to the buildings marked 4 (Hugh Owen), 5 (Llandinam), 7 (Physics) and 24 (International Politics Building) all of which are where my politics lectures/seminars take place. All the way on the bottom of that map, marked '50', is the Old College where Welsh is taught - on a good day it's about 10/15 minutes walk but depending on weather, mood, etc it can take much longer, plus the walk back up is a killer! 


So the only problem on my timetable is that on Thursdays I have politics in the IPB (24) with less than 10 minutes to get to OC (50) and then back up the hill for politics again in HO (4) in less than 10 minutes. Yes, that's right, the map and timetable and rant were all about this tiny, no-point-in-getting-worked-up-over-it complication on my timetable when, in actual fact, I'm rather happy with it as a whole :)

Thanks so much for putting up with me and well done if you managed to make it this side of my rant!
Liam x   

Ffinneg

Last Sunday I watched a very interesting, Finnish film titled Musta jää (Black Ice) which inspired me to learn Finnish. Luckily, the person I watched the film with is, oddly enough, from Finland and she is more than willing to teach me some of the lingo. The alphabet is fairly simple, especially if you know the Welsh alphabet because many of the sounds are the same and some of the words are fairly simple (providing you know the alphabet of course!) such as moi (hi - pronounced 'mwy' as in Welsh for 'more) and kiitos (thanks - 'key-toss') but then came a list kindly provided by aforementioned Finn.

The list, very basically, is an explanation of various Finnish prepositions. In Finnish it's not enough to simply 'with Liam' but there is a kind of mutation rule in which you add a suffix, 'with Liam' would be 'kanssa Liamin' - it's as if they actually change your name! I couldn't, of course, let her get away with landing this bombshell and so I gave her a small insight into the Welsh mutation system which I'm sure looks as random and nonsense as the Finnish list here does me.

In other news I've treated myself to a bit of online clothes shopping today after receiving a cheque for £222 (woo-hoo!) and I've been emailing the Welsh department at Aberystwyth trying to sort out some timetable issues - this happens every semester. Tomorrow I start both of my new politics modules: International Political Theory Today and Wales & Devolution. Unfortunately, IPTT is at 9am which means I have to get up early :( but I am very much looking forward to starting my first Welsh politics module :)

I'm already having early morning blues!
Liam x