Dave Gorman in Cardiff

"bridging the gap" Project

As part of one of the projects I'm working on at the moment I had a meeting with Sarah from Villiers park today- She had arranged for us to met with some people working on a VLE at Cambridge university.

We had asked if we could replicate some of their material on a VLE but instead they invited us to work with them, and produce our own section of "hexagons" on their website.

:D

I'm quite excited for this new opportunity.

Oxford

Xmas lights switch on

It's Christmas at work all really!

Surprises

I saw Kirstie on Saturday at the wrestling and she gave me my birthday present. .. midweek surprises!
It's made my week More exciting.

Thank you xxx

Ceramics lesson with Phil

Snowflake evolution

Initially I misread the pattern and made a mutant snowflake, The second go I got it right, but the pattern doesn't seem to scale up very well, so I have adapted it.
:D
I win! Although it loses it's snowflakey ness. Its more of an albino flower. ..

Xmas wrapping = Done

Traff's Wresting match

Dan, Sah and Alice came to play.

The title of thus post is quite literal. Sah and dan are down to see dan's family,  get some xmas shopping in and to see traff wrestle on Sunday.  They popped over with Alice on Friday for pizza and a catch up which was awesome. There is nothing better than take away and good company! Simple pleasures!

Now Alice is a bit older we were able to play some imaginative games- only we didn't have a whole lot of age appropriate toys!

We played racing snails ( and I managed to break all of them) and I managed to find a playmobil viking and dragon for her. She was fascinated when she realised you could take his helmet and cloak off but quite horrified when his hair fell off. Daddy had to fix it.

She had remembered that we have letter magnets on our fridge and I accidentally taught her that you can carry more letters at once if you put then in a bowl. We're missing a lot of vowels.  I suspect they are under the sofa.
It's funny the things children remember. I have so much respect for anyone with small children- They ask so many questions and after a whole day at work I just couldn't think fast enough to keep up- that and she sometimes asks questions in Welsh, which messes with your head a bit! I do not have enough energy! How do you do it?!

I also have a wind up goldfish that ray bought us as a joke because no-legs kept eating all his friends.

We had to spend a very long time watching it swim around the bath. I really wish as easy to please!

So, It's playmobil for her birthday and I had fun putting the letter back on the fridge.  Well, the ones I've found so far.

Fellowship lecture

Today I went to my first ever meeting as a university research fellow.
The lecture was on research methods and was looking at blind testing followed by evaluation and a discussion on the value of openness about research, even if the research doesn't show what you had hoped (Or nothing at all!) Apparently "missing research" is a big issue in Medicine and Education and there is a current campaign for clarity.

Who knew?

After the lecture we had wine and Canapes (I have never eaten a canape before, so this was quite an experience- Although you'd have to eat an awful lot of them to feel full!)
I had a chat with some of my colleagues who have also been selected to take part in the fellowship programme and that was really lovely too as I rarely usually leave my building so I don't really know many people from other departments.
They were all really chatty and sweet.

It was a really inspiring start to what will hopefully be an interesting year.

The next few sessions are quite close together, so I get the impression this is easing us into something which will be a big project... We shall find out next week.

Loads of things happened and were discussed, I'm just not sure how to word them on here to make it sound as interesting as it actually was. I promise it was good! I'm looking forward to this as a new challenge.
:)

"Free spiritual reading"

Today I took a bit of a mooch into town as I was after some self adhesive labels and other exciting items. I am usually pretty oblivious to what is going on around me- I did see a number of sandwich boards offering "free spiritual readings" on them and a gazebo in the town centre with a queue, but it was freezing so I was on a mission.

On my way home I was ambushed by a woman who offered me a free "reading". I was so surprised that I agreed almost without realising. I half expected it to be some money making scam, however, it turned out to be being run by the Kings Arms Church.

The "reader" started by telling me that Jesus loved me and all people, she then said that she was waiting for Jesus to speak to her so that she could tell me more about why he was pleased with me.

She told me that she felt jesus was telling her that I was intelligent, hard working, diligent and had a career in something "maybe medical". I did tell her where I worked and she felt that it was a pretty close match.

She then told me that I had a maternal instinct and was a "mother earth" with a soft heart but a difficult to read exterior. She said that Jesus loved how much I cared for others.

And then they prayed for me. Which was different, as the last people who prayed for me were Luton Mosque when we dropped off the donations for the refugees in camps in Paris. I have to say that the Islamic version sounded far more impressive, but maybe that is because I don't speak Arabic.

Either way, It was a kind thought and I appreciated the gesture in both cases.

I was left feeling like it was a bit gimmicky, but it was also really positive and the women running the event clearly felt that they were being genuine and doing god's work.

Frankly with the current climate I'm prepared to go out on a bit of a limb here and say that anything that encouraged community integration, discussions between people who would not usually talk and positivity about both strangers and religion can only been seen in a good light. However odd the premise might be, this was something which got people talking and made religion feel like something which encourages positivity, love, kindness and friendship, rather than something which should inspire fear and hatred.

I just hope that we see more people from the religious community out there building bridges and breaking down misconceptions as much as possible in the coming weeks.

It was also quite reflective. A reminder that Kindness is a virtue in all faiths and that we should be thinking of how we can look after each other- not just in the run up to Christmas (Or the week following Divali, or the Month following Eid, Although it would be a good start) and to remember to think of those who will be spending christmas out in the cold (Many of hem quite literally).

Christmas isn't just about presents and food. It's about doing something nice for someone else.

(And if I was feeling really political, it's a story about refugees who needed somewhere to stay and no-one would help them, except that one inn keeper who let them sleep in the stable, and he was rewarded by witnessing the birth of christ. I'm not suggesting any Syrians are going to have a Prophetic birth in your garage, just saying that maybe we should remember to be objective and to think of others in an empathetic way, especially at this time of year).

Hot chocolate

I have just found my new favourite kind of hot chocolate!
This stuff is awesome.  It's really chocolaty but not too sweet and it's just as good made up with hit water and a bit of milk which saves faffing about with the hob. Hurrah!  I found it in Holland and barrett and they have the normal 'chocolate' one and the 'coconut &chocolate' variety which now lives in my kitchen.  'Consume within 8 week of opening' no problem. 

This makes a very good accompaniment to the final fantasy VII film which I have only just discovered and I LOVE!

I'm so pleased netflix is putting up more anime- and bollywood films too!

Traff's wrestling boots

Oooh debut day is getting closer!  Boots are sorted but still no 'tights'. It's all getting a bit silly when you have to offer your partner your leggings!

Date night jar

I saw this online and I really want to make one! Traff and I are creatures of habit, I think this would be a cool way to mix things up a bit.
new experiences please!

Letters

Traff came home from wrestling and declared that our letter box was so full there were things sticking out of the top of it.
It turned out tgat the whole box was full of a parcel and a newspaper so all our other post made an interesting letter box headdress.

The parcel was from Amanda and contaned treasures and an impressive photocard from berlin.

I also had a very welcome letter from Hayley.

Festive garden centre adventures

I decided to go for a drive in order to leave the house and not get rained on.
My drive ultimately took me to frosts garden centre where Christmas has well and truly landed.

They have reindeer and father Christmas already in situ. They are awaiting an ice rink towards the end of the month.
They also have  an impressive array or decorations I never knew I needed!

I love Christmas.  It cheers up an otherwise dark and gloomy portion of the year.
I truly believe that Christmas should be a bit tacky.  We should be able to enjoy it. 

I do think it's too commercial.  I think people spend too much money buying things for other people that they don't want or need. But that is not the point of the festival!

It's about family and friends and doing something nice for someone else (which shouldn't cost a fortune ir bankrupt you) and covering your house in cheerful shiny decorations to combat the long dark winter evenings.
It's a good excuse to see people.  And drink warm alcohol and the only time of the year fruit creme chocolates are in abundance.

Traff's wrestling debut- posters!

Ugly xmas tree ornaments

I found these in tesco today whilst we were doing the food shopping.
They're so ugly tgat is makes them beautiful.
I am especially enjoying the cat with the slightly lazy eye.

Divali festival Bedford

Fireworks

Foxton

Tina and I took advantage of some free time on our training course today and went for a walk around Foxton.
It really is in the back of beyond- we walked miles and just saw fields!
On the way back we had to stop for the railway crossing and a freight train was passing. We counted the trucks, for want of something better to do.
it had 23 trucks each with a maximum weight capacity of 30,000kg... I feel some maths coming on...

Anyway, this is Tina counting trucks.
I will admit I was less invested in the activity than she was...