It is a little like Christmas Eve. There’s tension and excitement, albeit of a different form. Putting in last minute preparations, all most of us can think about is what awaits us tomorrow morning. Will we be disappointed, surprised or get exactly what we wanted? I hope the State Examinations Commission will be as kind as good ‘ole Saint Nick anyway.

People approach these last few hours before exams start in different ways. Some spend the day engaged in self-induced panic attacks. Others stay up studying until unsightly hours, kept awake only by energy drinks and suspicious calming tablets. I, on the other hand, am having a relaxation day.

Am I crazy? Quite possibly. I had a Courtney Love moment yesterday when struggling with a geoecology question and I’m not sure if I’ve fully calmed down yet. However, it’s a tradition of mine to relax before big exams, in order to recharge my batteries for the gruelling week ahead. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still so much I don’t know but at this point I think my brain deserves a rest. I’d advise people to adopt a similar approach. Don’t tire yourself out before the Leaving Cert has even begun!

Then again, I don’t think I could take the whole day off without feeling guilty, so I’m going to do a bit of Maths. I’ve neglected it in recent weeks, as it’s my only pass subject and therefore I’m not expecting to include it in my points in August. Despite that, I’d like to do reasonably well (as in, not fail it) and the nice thing is there’s no real memorising involved, just practice. Then I’m going to listen to Countdown to 806 so I don’t fall into total denial about tomorrow. I got the podcasts other days and found the Geography one particularly helpful. I listened to yesterday’s episode live but ended up sitting through thirty-five minutes of Biology and ten of Applied Maths, avidly waiting for History which was squeezed in for a couple of minutes at the end. I don’t even do the other two and felt I had learned more about them in the hour! Wow, I really love to moan.

Then I’m going to write out time plans for each subject that I can consult beforehand. The evening before each test, I’ll be quickly revising the main topics, obviously with the exception of today. English Paper 1 is something that I actually enjoy (okay, I’m officially crazy) and I’m already fluent, which is half the battle. I know which composition I aim to write, which is the serious and/or light-hearted article and I’m hoping for a speech or talk for the Question B. To get my imagination in the right place, I’m going to watch one of my favourite movies, 500 Days of Summer, tonight. After all, what better way to get my creative juices flowing than artistic imagery, hilarious jokes, inspirational quotes and a killer soundtrack?

I don’t know how often I’ll be posting over the next week so I’ll just go with the flow. Before we get our teeth into it, I want to wish everyone the best of luck. Remember, this is just a detour on the way to a beautiful summer!

But damn, I really wish it was Christmas Eve.

Forgive me bloggers for I have sinned, it has been two months since my last post. Okay, I just checked and my last post was written on the 8th of November. Today is the 8th of January and now that I think about it, the LC starts on the 8th of June. What can I say, I like patterns. Of course I have a list of reasons for my absence (yeah, whatever helps you sleep at night Ciara):

1. Christmas tests (original excuse, I know).

2. Results of aforementioned tests. Don’t get me wrong, I did fine but I was disappointed with a few of them so I tried to put in a bit of extra study to make up for it.

3. Internet boycott following aforementioned results of aforementioned tests (word of the day: aforementioned). I decided to do this because my study time consists of going on Facebook and complaining about my lack of study. Also, I realised that I remember a status a girl in my French class wrote about her rabbits two weeks ago, yet I don’t remember the French word for rabbit. Or the French word for anything… Anyway, in what seemed an attempt to spur me on in my boycott, my internet broke the week of Christmas.

4. Christmas. Who could possibly think of Calculus or the formation of a cliff when there’s mountains of food and every Harry Potter/ Indiana Jones movie ever made on TV? A stronger person than I, that’s who.

5. Internet catch-up session following aforementioned internet boycott following aforementioned results of aforementioned tests (otherwise known as stalking).

Thankfully other bloggers have been dedicated enough to keep the homepage fresh. Reading through all the posts, I’m glad we all seem to be in the same boat. However, I still haven’t filled out my CAO (I could commit the most rebellious act, which is to fill it out at 5.14 pm on the 1st of February).

I’m going to have to cut this short because I still have an essay to do before we go back to school (someone is going to have to drag me out of my bed kicking and screaming Monday morning).

Au revoir, mes lapins!

Hello:)

I’ve officially signed up for CAO. Things just got real. Something about clicking that apply button has made me think “Oh wait. This is actually gonna happen” Scared me silly. But in a good way if that’s possible? I’ve also come to realize that I am my worst enemy. After great intentions of studying all last week and this week a huge part of it has been spent on Facebook/Twitter/Watching Season One of Skins. But today it hit me hard. I’ve only myself to blame. Its only me I’m lying to when I say I’m gonna be off the computer in 5 minutes and am still online half an hour later. It’s me who changes my study timetable to accommodate an extra hour in bed. And with 4 and a half weeks till the mocks it’s gone beyond a joke.

Me and my friend Ali are kidnapping each other’s twitter for the weekdays. Almost willingly. We did say it to each other so technically it was our own idea.

How was everyone’s Christmas? Mine was lovely Few nights out. Since when is it okay to not accept passports into nightclubs though? Grrrrrrr >:( Hope Santy brought ye lovely things. I got Glee tickets!! XD Verrrrry Excited

Anyone else find that their Christmas report meant nothing to them though? I got mine and was like Oh. Even the comments which would have usually got my attention, I just couldn’t care. Because at the end of the day, as much as they try, teachers don’t know everything. They say you have no interest when really you do, but they have just pushed you past the point of trying to communicate with them. I really do like Applied Maths. The subject is really interesting and engaging but I’ve just lost my confidence, I guess. Not the interest tho.

So only 4 and a half weeks to the mocks. Scary stuff. Dates differ from school to school but I think I’d prefer it our way. At least we have an actual mid-term. Where we can sleep/go out/ de-stress after the mocks. I’m terrified for Maths. I love love love love love Maths atm but I don’t think I’m ready to sit a full paper. Everything else should be okayish. Actually no, wait. History. Eeeek. How I’m gonna cram all that into my head in 4 weeks is beyond me.

And this History project. Oh my god. Even thinking about it sends me into a cold sweat. I’ve left Friday and Monday (We have Monday off because of a parent-teacher meeting) to the project and hopefully I can get some sort of rough draft drawn up. Hopefully.I’m doing mine on Lord Haw- Haw. He was a Nazi propagandist from Galway Also worked with the Black and Tans so he really interested me. That’s why I’m doing it on him.

Sorry I’m not blogging as much as I should. I do sit down to blog and then I never really know what to say

But after Christmas they say the s**t really hits the fan so I suppose I’ll have loads to talk about (LC related) then

A bientot,

Niamh

xx

*sighs* I actually did try. I had the most beautiful time table – Christmas was going to be crammed with study, but also loaded with the nights out and the days set aside for simply doing nothing. I had it all thought out – I genuinely was going to make a huge effort!

You can predict whats coming… my time table (like they tend to do) went way off track. 6 hours a day? Try 2 or 3. Max. Not that I think I’m doing badly, I’m just not doing half as much as planned. And worse still – Ive turned nocturnal! This whole week I’ve slept in til 12pm, regardless of alarm clocks, wake-up calls, etc. To be honest, I think I’m just wrecked. Before the Christmas holidays I was under the impression that doing everything like some sorta student superhero was just a matter of “penciling it in” but alas, I’ve learned a valuable lesson. Guys, nobody beat yourself up about not doing enough study over the holidays. Theres no point. New Year’s eve I had a little bit of a panic attack, thinking that come the 1st of January it was game on. In true movie style, everything just hit the fan. This shizz just got real. Mocks are in February, and even though I know things have a way of working out, theres still that nagging voice that I haven’t done enough and that there’s no way I’ll be prepared.

Mid-crisis I realised that yeah, okay – I’m not gonna be prepared. My worst nightmare of being in over my head is inevitable. But thats okay. Mocks seem HUGE to us right now, though that’ll pass. We can only do as much as we can. Even if we have the days where we slack, and even if studying hours on end doesnt work out for some as it might do for others…. its okay. We’ll all get there in the end. Remember my “hang on in there kitty” post? Well…. I still mean it. I am well aware how cheesy my blog is turning out to be, but really I felt I had to write it, even just to assure myself more than anyone else that things are gonna be alright. When I’m all done and dusted with these exams in June, I fully intend to read back through my blog and I know that I’m gonna stop at this one and cringe. It’s gonna be one of those “I wish I could turn back and tell her to cop herself on, lighten up a bit – enjoy this year.” Still, had to be written. I remember somebody telling me over the summer that Leaving Cert is an experience – one not to be missed. Hah. They said that its one of those things that we’ll fight against til the last exam, but appreciate for the rest of our lives. It’s only now I can see where they’re coming from.

Roughly we’ve got about 5 weeks til the mocks. Give or day a few days. Breathe.  Besides, whats the worst that could happen?*

*Ans: You could fail. (Ain’t that blatantly obvious kiddo?) And if anybody reading this does fail any of the mocks… or even doesn’t do as well as hoped.. Embrace it. Shrug it off. Just don’t let it get to you. At the end of the day, it’ll make your actual result in the Leaving Cert so much sweeter. Look at it as a challenge… Bring it on.

For all of you lucky people who are doing Dancing at Lughnasa you’ll completely understand the title, for those of you who haven’t, you’ll live

3 classes of 6th years went to see Dancing at Lughnasa in Galway today. Buses broke down, trains got mixed up, beautiful sights on the motorway . Good day though. Dancing at Lughnasa is actually quite good on stage. For any of you who seen Hamlet in The Helix last year, the actress who played Ophelia played Rosie and to be honest, I thought she did a much better job at Rosie. Then again, I’m no theatre critic

Oh, the tests I was supposed to have last time I blogged? Cancelled. Woke up to a phone call from my best friend asking me was I going to school.

“Of course”, I said.

“Look out your window”

“Oh right, Yeah, no”

So school was cancelled and I was housebound for 4 days. And I’m telling ya, cabin fever hit hard. By the time Friday came and I was going to Childline, I was going, hell or high water.

And I did Childline was class. McFly were my favourite followed closely by Olly Murs and The Wanted. I’d never call myself a “pop fan” but as I’m getting older (the ripe old age of 18;)) my music taste has definately mellowed, along with all of my friends’. I dunno what it is, but once your faced with exams, something upbeat and happy doesn’t seem so bad

The worst thing about not having school was having all our tests pushed together. On Tuesday I had French written first, then Double Biology test after lunch then Double Physics after that. Twas a fun day lol jk it was awful.

Anyone miss the green? You know that colour? Normally leaves and fields are that colour. I’m sick of white and then off shades of white as the days progress. .

Only16 days till Christmas.

holidaysarecomingholidaysarecoming

Something about the Coca Cola ad just mades me so excited That and The “Ho,ho,ho” Cornflakes ad

Till next time,

Niamh

x

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow..” 

No please, make it stop!

I’ll be honest here, I’m a proper scrooge when it comes to Christmas; I hate the snow, I hate missing school because of a bit of snow, I hate making snowmen, I hate snowballs (especially when I’m pelted with them on my way to school..), I hate ice-skating, I hate the cold, I hate the commercialism of Christmas, I hate how greedy kids are, I hate how you have to give up your bed for family members who should have spent Christmas in the Bermuda Triangle – “yes Aunty Mary, I know.. “A tidy room is a tidy mind” ..” Like C’MON!

It feels like I’m the only one who feels like this but I can’t be. Can I..? C’mon, there has to be a few more people out there that have spent the morning studying and can’t understand the madness of not being in school today? No? Oh okay then..

My younger siblings were in school today so I had to bring them to school, and as our schools are conveniently next door to each other, I was tempted to go in and ask the Principal could I work on my construction project but I didn’t as I knew the answer would be no and I’d only end up cleaning the cafeteria anyway.. By the way, does anyone else do construction? It’s an absolute wagon of a subject I think 

I actually got excited earlier when I saw the snow melting, but then it started to snow again. I’m supposed to be going to the TCD open day tomorrow but in that weather I just don’t know? The only thing is, I went last year so I’m comfortable with the college, but I haven’t been to a talk on one of the courses I have on my CAO.. Ah sure, I’ll decide in the moro.

So basically this has just been a rant, or a waste of a blog.. Whatever you want to call it? I’m also thinking, (well actually no, not thinking, doing!), blogs as Gaeilge so if that interests you make sure you keep an eye out for my blogs! 

Peace out, and happy studying! 

To quote the little old women at my bus shelter, “It comes earlier and earlier every year”. Okay, so they were talking about Christmas and I would normally complain too about the early arrival of everything Christmas-related but not this year. Everyone seems so down and out about the Budget and just the state of the country in general that I say, why not talk about Christmas? I don’t know about you all but for me I can think of no happier time. Two weeks off school (even longer this year though), mouth-watering food, busy shops, a nice cosy fire at home…Okay, snap back to reality Ciara before you break into song. What I was trying to say when I started writing this (yes, would you believe that this actually leads to something exam related?) was that while I have no problems discussing Christmas now, I think it’s too soon to start talking about about Christmas Tests. The sad thing is, the Christmas Tests are before Christmas. Crap.

Yeah, the second we arrived back last week the teachers started calling out prescribed chapters for the exams and before you know it, everyone has made study timetables and Granny has started lighting the candles for them at mass. I’m sat here wondering where to start with all my study…Times like this I’d really like a crystal ball. Or a photographic memory. Maybe if I get Granny to light an extra big candle I might get one of the two. I think a trip to the library is in order this weekend, without my friends in tow because let’s just say they make it hard to study…ever play Hide and Seek in a library? I have. I need to finish the second draft of my History RSR anyway.

In other news, we got our Drémires this week. I know, the fun never stops in my life! For anyone who doesn’t know, it’s like a mini Irish book with essays and grammar tips, etc., aimed at LC students. It’s handy but I find the comprehensions too complex. I’ll stick to my Foinses for the most part, thank you very much. My French teacher advised our class to pick our documents for the oral in the coming two weeks. Is she serious? The oral is months away! I don’t know what to pick, any ideas? I was thinking of a picture from the Gaeltacht but I just know that’ll put me in the Irish language state of mind that I really have to avoid, considering it’s a test of French. She said it could be a picture of anything but the other class’ teacher told them it really should be French-related, so they’re all picking French movies (the same one) and French celebrities. Unfortunately I’m not as absorbed in the culture, although I like croissants (cliché much?).

I’m going to start studying in a few minutes (I promise) and then reward myself with some TV. The Apprentice- I’m addicted! And I do Business so it’s practically educational.

Salutations!

Wall-E (my appropriately name laptop) came home safely today. I was a little worried to be honest, because it was “touch and go” for a while, but he is safe and sound (I love personification).

Anyway, I would like to wish all a belated Happy New Year, and a very belated Merry Christmas.

Instead of asking you how your cheeks lit up in the cold, or how crispy (yet moist) the family turkey was, or describing my family’s 2009 yultide experience, I wanted to know if anybody really thought of those less fortunate than ourselves this year (well last year, but you know what I mean)? It is something that I just couldn’t escape as my family sat to open up wonderfully colourful presents; laughing to dismal Christmas cracker jokes; bickering over which seasonal movie to watch on the t.v.: “Home Alone” or “The Grinch” (”The Grinch” happens to be a favourite at our house!) and I kept feeling we’ve a lot to be thankful for that just seems to remain unacknowledged, ignored or even forgotten about.

Maybe I actually ‘grew up’ without realising it, and that the facade that is the ‘magic of Christmas’ has finally been revealed for what it truly is: Commercialism at its most deadly. Am I being cynical or realistic? When did Christmas become a time to spread wealth instead of  goodwill? A time when people constantly try to out-do one another’s generosity? Or when children grow up associating the birth of Christ with ‘Santy-time’? Have we really become such materialistic morons? And where does it begin: with the parents?, or with the children?

I thought a lot about how it might feel to not have a home this Christmas. To be living in the cold, without shelter or food, and particularly; family. What is Christmas to the homeless, to the poor, to families who’ve “lost” their sons and daughters, mothers and fathers? Surely, they cannot find enjoyment in playing pass the parcel, can they?

And what has Christmas become to us, the young minds of Ireland: do we welcome this new Christmas and allow it to be a holiday based purely on gift grabbing?; or do stand up to our friends and families and say “Bah! Humbug”, because let’s face it, anyone who thinks like me is called a Scrooge?! Ironic though, isn’t it? Christianity teaches us to always think of another’s plight, whereas modern society teaches us to forget about plight altogether!

And I’m sure there are those out there that are probably muttering to themselves, “Well what have you done that is so great?” and I’ll be honest in admitting that I’ve done nothing. But this isn’t a message about thinking about others or being charitable. I simply just think that we take far too much for granted in this life. Here we are, all of us, worrying about what type of exam results will get us into college, but there are those out there that worry about whether or not they will eat on a given day, whether or not their mother or father will come back to get them from the “Home” they live in, or whether or not they will be forced into prostitution or thievery by pimps and blaggards. Scoff all you like, but this is the truth that faces many hundreds of thousands (possibly millions) of children every day and we feel hard done by because we’re given the opportunity to get an education, and a life outside of any environment we may reside in now. I think that is quite a lot to be grateful for, don’t you?

*

And what did everyone think of the Leaving Cert. Timetable? Personally, I love it! English on the morning of the 9th and then, on the evening of the 10th: brilliant! Irish on the 14th and 15th, French and History on the 16th, Biology on the 17th and Music on the 24th…think I might actually do well this year!

My External Candidate application form came yesterday. It was so confusing! IF this and BUT that, and THEREFORE something else- but thankfully, I just have to bring it up to the school and then it can be posted off to the department. Wish Me Luck!

How is the study going? I must admit I’ve done very little but I anticipate by the time February rolls along, I’ll have finished English, Irish and Music for good (already finished English) and will only have to worry about revising for them. History however, is not goin as well as I had hoped. Will just have to stick with it though. My R.S.R is finished: “The Life and Times of Harvey Milk” (its copyrighted so no plagiarism please (joke!) ).  French is actually o.k. (for the moment) and Bio is going well too. We still have five months so if we keep on top of things, we should be ok. Anyone drawn up plans till exam time…?…No one….No…neither have I…he he…that’s stupid…

Its great to be back!

Slán leat,

Ian

Hello everyone =D

Firstly, I’m sorry it’s been so long since you’ve heard from me….. I haven’t even got a proper excuse…

I hope you all had a good Christmas, and that Santie was good to you! My Christmases are usually filled with racing around from one horsey competition to the next, trying to get as much in as possible. The weather put a stop to that this time! Believe it or not I’ve only been able to get out on the horse once in my three weeks off. The ground is just too hard! So you’d think that I would have had lots of time to complete all my set revision and more – not a chance!!!
Ok well since it’s been so long since I’ve blogged this is probably a distant memory to most! I found the evening focus group in Dublin on the Friday very interesting and the different tips I picked up from different people were very helpful =D It was interesting to sit and talk about different study methods and tools. You guys are all so organised! And will definitely get whatever results you need in June. Anyway it was great to get a chance to put a face to some of the blogs and meet some really sound people at the same time =D

That Sunday I did possibly the stupidest thing I have ever done, and that’s saying something! I tripped over my feet, fell down the stairs, and split my ear off the pool table….. Please laugh… it will make me feel a little less special!! One incentive not to do it again (aside from the mess to be cleaned up) is that I never ever want to have to spend a Sunday night (or any night for that matter) sitting in A&E in James’ street….. Not a pretty sight. I arrived in at about 10.30 that night wasn’t seen by a doctor until 8.30 the next morning, left at about 9 with the addition of nine stitches in my right ear. Lovely!!

One good thing came out of it though. I am afraid of injections, and I want to be a doctor. I needed lots of local anaesthetics for my ear. This terrified me. But it worried me even more to think that the one thing that I was letting stand between me and the career I wanted was a tiny piece of metal! Crazy, I know… Well, I managed to get over that fear. It was all in my head!! Since that I’ve had blood taken without a single flinch. Result. Mind over matter.

That was basically the drama of my holidays! Naturally I spent the next week lounging around feeling sorry for myself… Santie came and brought lovely red hunter wellies (I’m a culchie at heart!) and lots of other nice things and I began to face up to the reality that yes, I had chosen to cut my holiday short for this Leaving Cert malarkey, and head up to Leeson street for 5 days. I now realise how lucky I was to have had that choice to make!! I took Biology (both halves), English and Maths. The latter was probably a foolish choice since I’ve just dropped from honours, but hey, I was intent on “getting the course done in a week!!” My own naivety surprises me! Of course I was useful revision but my time (and money) could have been spent on something else.

As for the biology and english… Mr. Burke and Mr. Kelly, I bow down before you… you are proper teachers. You know your subjects and, more importantly, you know how to teach it. To anyone who says that in Leeson Street they just “throw the notes at you,” “they’re hardly teachers,” I challenge you to sit in one of the afore mentioned teachers classes and not be inspired. Mr. Burke, as old as the hills he may be, but I have never seen anyone explain photosynthesis in one single diagram – no words, just labels…. wow!! It was definitely time well spent. Trying to negotiate the buses on New Year’s day would have been fun but I got a lift home =) Only in Ireland would a little dusting of snow equate to a national emergency!! Crazy…

Over the last few days it has been such a chore to actually sit down and study while I could hear the snowball fights going on outside! I made a compromise; study for three hours in the morning and then I could whizz down the Hill of Tara on fertiliser bags to my heart’s content! Exercise combined in with fun! Perfect =DThose are days that will be remembered.

Delighted and all as I was to get those two extra days off, now I’m kind of worried about the amount of catch-up work that is going to have to be done when we eventually get back to school… Oh well the teachers can worry about that one and ill just get as much revision done as I can =D Anyway, we’ve enough to be thinking about with the CAO closing date and the HPAT all coming up.

I completed my levels eight choices on the CAO for what I hope will be the last time, but that’s doubtful! Medicine in Trinity is sitting at the top, but sure we’ll see how it goes! As for the HPAT, I’ve registered and am trying to do as much practice as possible from the sample booklet. I find the timing really difficult to stick to but I suppose it all takes practice. My Mum insisted that I enrol in a prep course so I’ll be back up in Leeson Street next weekend. I suppose doing it is better than regretting not doing it.

I hope everything is going according to plan for everyone, and if it’s not, well don’t worry. “Brick by brick my citizens, brick by brick.” (I watched seabiscuit last night!! Red Pollard you legend)
Remember its all mind over matter!
For now, there is a slippery slope on Tara with my name on it =D
Toodles
xxx

Hello all!
I hope everyone had a good Christmas!
As the title suggests, mine was spent doing sweet FA…
I have however just got news that my school is closed tomorrow, ad possibly Friday, so thank you snow!:)

One positive thing I did do over the Christmas was go to the RCSI Open Day. I won’t go into too much detail because the day was perfectly summarised in Ally’s blog, but it was awesome! The place to me has been the best med school so far, just far more friendly and warm than Trinity or UCD. The staff and students were all really nice and it was great to hear the course from a students perspective than just lecturers. And for the best thing, out of the three med schools in Dublin, the points were lowest in RCSI! Pharmacy was another course I was really interested in doing and it seems really good there. One thing that impressed me above all others about the College was the atmosphere portrayed by the students. Unlike TCD or UCD where the place feels very impersonal, the RCSI has a very small population where everybody seems to know everybody!

One thing my day at RCSI actually gave me was the will to start back studying! Up until then, I had taken a full two weeks off and had no desire to start back. The day however put things in perspective, regardless what I wanna do next year, I’m gonna have to do some serious work between now and June, I’ve officially marked January 15th as the half-way mark in the year, so the easy part is almost over!

Mocks are rapidly approaching too. 28 days in fact! I’m lucky in a sense that our course in almost every subject is complete. Biology is the one we’re a little behind on. Getting another new teacher when we go back, our 3rd Biology teacher in 3 years!

Although this Christmas wasn’t one for study, it gave me a chance to hit the gym and go out running more often! I got a Nike+ iPod sensor for Christmas. For anyone who doesn’t know what they are, it’s a little chip you put into your runner and it connects with your iPod to give you all sorts of information about your run such as distance and speed! I’ve got 50km run since Christmas Day so hopefully it’ll continue!
As for New Years Resolutions, I’ve decided I’m gonna run the Dublin Marathon in October. It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was 8 so hopefully it’ll work out!

I’ve just registered to sit the HPAT also. Fingers crossed I’ll get a place in Dublin. The last thing anyone would want is to get up at 5 in the morning to go to Waterford for the test! Anyone know if it’s only the RDS they use or is there other centres?

Anyway I better finish off, I still have and entire Irish Paper 2 and a Lear Q to start! Thank God I’m not back tomorrow! I’ll leave you with some funny lines I found that we’re “used” in English Leaving Cert essays, enjoy!

The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn’t.

McMurphy fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a paper bag filled with vegetable soup.

He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree.

The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease

The plan was simple, like my brother Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.

The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for while.

The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a lamppost.

The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife’s infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free cashpoint.

It was a working class tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with their power tools.