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! 

Dia Dhaoibh!

My name’s Rebecca, but everyone calls me Becca. Unless I’m in trouble for not being home on time, then it’s the full name..

Anyway, lets get on with things! I’m eighteen, I go to an all-irish school so I’m fluent as Gaeilge and yes, I’m doing my Leaving Cert this year (woohoo!) but I’m also at a bit of an advantage as I’ve already done the Leaving Cert and I am, obviously, repeating it this year because I didn’t get enough of the lack of a social life and stress from last year!

No but seriously, I’m more focused this year, I know what I have to do and what I definitely shouldn’t do, how to make out (and follow!) study plans, how to improve on my answers and how to use notes and helpful sites effectively; and if you know me you’ll know that wasn’t me last year.. I’ve never been a bad student but I had a bit of a rough year in fifth year and instead of putting it behind me I let it follow me into sixth year and basically become more important than the Leaving Cert, which I now know was utter and total rubbish!

So yeah.. That’s me! If you’re interested in any tips I’ve found along the way, how exactly the Leaving Cert and CAO system works, what it’s really like to repeat and have to do two years work in one year, why you should work your butt off for the two years you have to instead of having to repeat like me, or anything like that just stick around because you are in for a very honest and frank account on what it’s like to be doing the Leaving Cert.. Again! 

Peace out, and happy studying!

Today marked the last of my orals with my weaker of the two, French. For the past two weeks, questions have been flying around the year such as ‘What’s she like?’ and ‘What did she ask you?’ with people trying to get some last minute prep on each exam. I’ll start with Irish. Over preparation was my only downfall here. For months, we’ve been bombarded with notes on politics, the recession, the education system and just about everything else topical that would make for an intelligent conversation. Us being the Higher level class in the year, we thought we would try steer the conversation towards these topics and try sound bombastic as Gaeilge. But no. Instead, the examiner just happened to be the nicest woman in the world. She point blankly refused to talk about any of this stuff. Walking into the room, I was surprisingly calm. I happened to be the last person in for the day, but being greeted by an ’I’m knackered’ from the examiner was the last thing I wanted to hear. Her laziness at that stage came to the fore when she asked me to read the sliocht I had facing up. I looked down and to my horror, Peig Sayers, my least favourite starred back up. Bad planning I figured. It went well however and gave her my ‘Oh Mo shliocht is fearr!’ fib. I’m pretty sure I saw her scribbling down 30 across the desk. Or 20. Maybe she could smell the lies. All I got was a ceart go leor. Thanks for your indifference like, every pass guy got an ‘Ar Fheabhas!’. Funny enough, both orals started with ‘Have you any brothers or sister….’ Although any time I threw out these ‘nascanna’ for my prepared topics, the next question was always something simple like ‘Inis dom faoi do chaiteamh amisire?’ It’s quite hard to show off whatever Irish you have when you’ve to deal with this. I came out of the exam thinking ‘great!’, but as I aptly walked into Irish class, I thought ‘Súcra, forgot to use the Modh Coinnealeach!’ I managed to use the gnáthchaite a few times, but with an Irish teacher who is actually in love with the tense and continuously talks in it, I feel ashamed of how I managed to not use it! The only consolation is that the majority of my class was relying on reeling off notes, but from trips to the Gaeltacht, I’m able to make up things on the spot fairly easca. We did a few mock orals before the test and I was always hitting the 70ish mark, so hopeful it was in and around that on the day!

All Irish did however was give me a big head for French. Maybe arrogance is a trait of the French, but not a good trait going into the exam. So for the following few days, I was convinced all I could do was wing it. That was until I did a mock oral with a friend. And then it hit me, I’m gonna have to learn this stuff… Me and French have never really got on well. It has always had its ways of annoying me. Not being particularly blessed with great teachers for the JC, and finally when we get a good teacher for the Leaving, she decides to leave us two weeks before our Orals to adopt a baby! Granted she hadn’t planned to leave so soon, but we’ve now had three different French teachers in three weeks, with our current one only staying if they cannot find a replacement! So with no teacher pressure, preparation kind of slacked off. I can honestly say I learned to speak the language in five days. Writing a language will only get you so far, but you really have to be speaking it regularly to get any sort of fluency going. So for five days I studied nothing but French despite Economics and Chemistry tests in between (still got 91 and 95 respectively!) I threw together some brilliant notes. I had sentences prepared using all the irregular subjunctives and what have you. Everything learned of to a tee on any subject. I still felt apprehensive about the whole thing, as I had only ever spoke French once before to a fluent speaker, while with Irish I had countless encounters. Reports said she was nice, and spent up to six minutes on the Document with some people, I had ten minutes prepared on it. Before going in, I downed half a bottle of Rescue Remedy. For those of you that don’t know what it is, It’s a whiskey-like substance with much the same side-effects I suppose. So I strolled into the room, reeking of alcohol. In hindsight, not clever. I think she knew something was up. I started with a warm ’Bonjour Madame, ca va?’ to which I just got ‘Bien’ back. Grrrrr. What about me and my ‘Je suis trés nerveux madame, c’est eprouvant!?’. That kind of set the tone for the exam. She sounded exactly like the woman off the SEC listening tests. She was a native French speaker and that worried me a little. Within a minute of the exam, she asked me if I liked ‘to shoot birds’. What the hell! How do I know this is what she asked? She turned to the side the imitated someone shooting a recoiling shotgun, I kid you not. I tried not to laugh, and began to wonder if I was drunk and hallucinating things. I muttered a childish ‘Euh…. Non, j’aime les oiseaux’. Thanks. That wasn’t the end of the bizarre questions, out of nowhere, I got a ‘So why do young people today not go to mass?’. That really threw me. I ended up giving a conflicting response and at that point I truly felt like a French man, like giving up that is. Thankfully this women picked up on a few hints. I managed to talk about the economy and NAMA for a minute or so and that was my saving grace. I weakly managed a regular subjunctive and that was it. I always thought that getting these questions during an Oral was a good thing and a sign you were doing well, but in my case, unequivocally not. I really came across as being a weak higher level student when really I am normally one of the better ones in the class. The standard is poor enough as it is and French really was my place to shine. I guess not. I would have hoped for a B from both. Irish I’d imagine so but in French, a very mediocre C. It annoys me because it’ll be a toss up between the two for my sixth subject on the day, and seeing as I got a B in the mocks in French, it’s looking less likely that it’ll make that B category come August.
If I can give any tips to fifth years, it’s to get cracking on the Oral section as soon as you return in September. Try hold a conversation in whatever language and it’s amazing how it helps. All this year there has been people I just spoke Irish to and it really gives you the confidence speaking it on the day.
I’ve decided to take the evening off as a reward, not that I’ve done much, but with 47 to go, I’m taking one last break before tearing into it for the last six or so weeks. Instead, I’m writing articles for our School Magazine, or prep for English Paper 1 as I call it. We just got our student profile forms for the yearbook, so that’s a sure reminder that the year is quickly coming to an end. With just over four weeks until we graduate, one feels that the Leaving Cert is just around the corner.
I hope the Orals went well for everyone else!
Aurevoir!

Salut!

First of all, I know I’m a tad late, but WHAT A MATCH! TOMMY BOWE you legend =D It left me on a high all week. Beating the English is always so so sweet. And it’s even better when in their own back yard. I would also like to add my tupence worth to the Sexton V O’Gara debate. SEXTON ALL THE WAY =D

Well now that that out of my system, back to reality (and a bit of moaning!).

I’m sorry to say that running up to and during my mocks I had to avoid my blog like the plague in case temptation would bring me to the spoiler threads! I don’t see the point in them! Ok, fair enough, you might not have left enough time to study, and yes we all know how long it takes to revise seven courses. But there is no point in spending money sending papers off to be corrected if you knew exactly what was coming up. That’s my little “everyone-else-should-feel-bad-so-I-can-feel-good” rant!

My chemistry teacher did something that can only be described as sneaky and malicious. During our second last class before our mocks, when most students were at home taking a study day, she told us an experiment that would definitely be on our paper, having previously told us another. So, being lazy, they were the only two I learned! One came up, the other didn’t! It resulted in me making a mess of the one I did know because I was so annoyed, and getting poor marks in another that I hadn’t learned properly =( The rest of the paper went okay though, despite the fact that I managed to get considerably more marks for answering on a section that we hadn’t done, than on gases! Lol!

So, what about the HPAT? Any thoughts? I have absolutely no idea how I got on, I was just happy that I handled the exam pressure/stress pretty well! Heard a few not so nice stories about the Trinity Examination Hall centre, and that somewhere in UCD got very, very warm! I was in Goldsmith Hall, in Trinity, and apart from a little difficulty in finding the entrance the whole thing was fine =D I’m sure it went fantastically for everyone. I don’t know about you, but I for one am so relieved to just have it out of the way. Now I just have to convince myself to just sit down and study =/

In both Irish and French at the moment we’re concentrating mainly on the oral work. I like this part because, as any of you who know me will know, I never shut-up!! Last year I got into a big debate about doping in sport and the whole Cian O’ Conor and Denis Lynch fiasco at both of the previous Olympics. My French was poor and my argument was even worse!! Ah well, what can you do, at least I gave the class a laugh!!

As far as results go… I have to say that I’m pretty happy =D I managed an A2 in Irish and Maths (pass) and my only C was in Chemistry. One positive I suppose ill have to take is that if I hadn’t made 59marks worth of stupid mistakes, I would have gotten a B1! Stupid mistakes include; not using graph paper X2, mixing up words in definitions that I never get wrong X3; calculating g/mol wrongX5…… the list goes on!!! I was happy enough with English (B2) and Biology (B1) for now…. And a little disappointed with my accounting (scrapped a B3). But I have now definitely made the decision to leave out Q5 (interpretation) so that will give me time to concentrate on everything else.

French has to have been the surprise of the centaury!! No matter how hard I try, I just don’t get Bs in my written… so I was thrilled with my B1. Admittedly my tape brought me up a huge amount, and it’s generally a major downfall for most. One tip; upload those practise tapes you get with the exam papers onto your iPod and listen to them. You won’t get every word, but you’re not asked to. Just get the gist of the piece and work from there.

Anyways I had better get back to the books.

Chuala mé go bhfuil Seachtain na Gaeilge ag teacht agus bainfaidh mé trial mo chéad blog eile a scríobh as Gaeilge.

Slán

Katie xxx

Mar ata Seactain na Gaelige ar suil, deanfaidh me an iarract a scriobh mo bhlog i nGaelige! Ta bron orm faoi an litriocht agus an gramadach, tá fhios agam go bhfuil mé cáic!Ar aon nos, tá mo thiortaí ó mo mhocks air ais. Bhí siad….Bhuel…. ceart go leor is dóigh liom. Táim fós ag fanacht ar mo thiortai i mBearla, ach seachas sin, fuair mé 445 phiontaí. Bhí mo aim timpeall 470, agus tar éis na scrudú, chéap mé gurbh é easca i gcompáiroid lena hArdtieste.
Fuair me 66 i Matá, 63 i nGaeilge (sin é mo leathscéal ar mo bhotúiní sa blog seo!) 76 i mBitholaiocht, 71 i Francais, 70 i gChemic agus 77 i Eacnamiocht. Táim dochasach go mbeadh mo thiorthai i mBearla níos mo na 65, ionas go gheobhadh 450 ó mo reamhscrudú… Bhí mé lán sásta leis mo thiorthai i Francais áfach, dá gheobhainn sin sa Ardteiste, bheinn áthas orm! Ní faigh mé B i Francais riomh go deo (Bhuel seachas an Teastas Soisereach, ní fhios agam conas fós!)

Thainig rud maith amahain ó na ramhscrudú, fuair mé kic mór suas mo thóin! Thuig mé an realtacht den saol ar chead uair. Dá gheobhainn na tiorthai seo, gheobhainn ‘offer’ amhain ó an CAO, eacnamiochta i Maigh Nuad. Táim ag cónaí deich kilometres ó NUIM, ach beidh gach waster i mo scoil ag dul ann, agus gach daoine eile a aitint liom. Agus an chursa freisin, meh. Is aoibheann liom eacnamiochta, ach níl sé an rud ceanna le actuair. Ní chaillím dochas a faigheann leigis tar éis an HPAT, ach beidh gá orm a gheobhaidh timpeall 540. Tar éis mo reamhscrudu, ní fhios agam más féidir liom….

An reasuin eile a scriobh mo bhlog i nGaeilge, fuair mé amach go bhfuil mo mhathar ag léamh é. Sin  saghas ait i mo thuarim! Agus mar tír ghrá orm! Is aoibheann liom an teanga, agus ba mhaith liom a bheith liofa leis í, ach bhí mo chaighdean an ísle riomh cúíg bhlian. Ach is laoch í mo mhuinteoir ag an am seo. Tá sí ag toghtha mo rang Gaeilge go dtí Conamara i rith Casca go dtí a Gaeltacht. Tá 24 daoine i mo bhlian ag deanamh ardleibheal i nGaeilge as 125, agus i scoil cailini in aice linn, tá trí ranganna lán le daoine. Mo thuarim, tá buachailli cáic ar Ghaeilge!

Ar aon nos, aon daoine liofa ag léamh seo, tá an bron orm. Tá sé pianmhar a leamh! Dheanfaidh mé tuilleadh iarraht sa chead blog eile.

Slan ar anois!

Hello =)

I hope everyone is well, and not over stressing

The realisation hit me yesterday (I know, I know, only yesterday :O) that in 5 months time it’s all going to be over!! Every last paper finished and sent on its merry way……. scary thoughts, I know. For now though I’ve plenty of more important things to be thinking about; mocks, orals, 18th’s, and 21st’s!

We were given our oral dates last week (that was when the realisation dawned!). French is the first week after, and I will be on the Friday if it goes in alphabetical order (Weldon!!). So that’s not really too bad. Dare I say it, but I’m kind of looking forward to my Irish oral the following week!! Oh and I would like to say a huge “Thank You” to Ally for recommending Foinse =) It helps so much! I was always afraid to pick it up in case I wouldn’t be able to understand any of it, and would be totally disheartened, but I found that even if there’s a word I don’t understand, in the context of the sentence I could figure it out =D

Our mocks have been moved back a week, which is a major relief. At least now they run straight up the mid-term and we won’t be dragged back in for a week after them. The thought of sitting two three hour papers in one school day really isn’t going down all that well. It’s going to mean one very short lunch break! As for the subjects? Well the one I am dreading most is chemistry!! I just haven’t had time to revise everything! Hopefully, I will have enough done to get me through 6 questions. I’ll probably do the Q5 (periodic table and the atom), the question on rates of reaction (if we have it finished), both organic questions, environmental chemistry and hopefully something else I know will come up!!

With regard to the 18th’s and 21st’s, well that’s more of an “I wish” story =P I was at probably the best 21st ever last week, and then wasn’t let out for my friends 18th this week =/ Yes, I am sure I will be glad when I get a groggy phone call asking about our homework tomorrow evening @ 9. Maybe everyone has gone back to college and Kells would be deserted once again. And I know it would have been such an anti-climax to last week – the road trip was epic (it took us 2 and a half hours to get to Oldcastle from Trim – A forty minute journey :L. We tried to do a U-turn and got stuck in a ditch!! The guards pulled us out. And some poor-unfortunate mass goer will probably have found their car without a wing mirror on return!!! :O). Meh, I suppose once in a while it’s ok to use “I’m not allowed….” as a cover up excuse??

I was just wondering, what poets are you guys studying and how are you finding them? At the moment I’m working my way through Longley – and he is definitely my favourite!! I love the way he brings in the ancient legends and myths and makes them his own . Their stories do all the telling. What way do you write your poetry essays?? Do you start on one poem and dissect it, then lead into one of the same theme…. or do you mix around with all the different poems? I’ve already covered Boland, Kavanagh, Yeats, Keats, and am almost finished Longley. My teacher is only going to cover those five poets, but armed with Mr. Kelly’s notes, I think I’ll do Elliot too, and maybe leave Keats out in my revision. He did come up last year after all =D

Other than that exciting road trip, Trim has been graced with my presence (ha!) on a number of occasions recently as I try to put those New Year’s resolutions into action. I suppose throwing a ball around in a swimming pool is exercise right?? My goal is to be able to beat my brother (16) in a swimming race…. this could take some time!! I used to be a good swimmer, really I did. Then I discovered how boring swimming up and down racing the clock is compared to galloping across fields!! The only thing is you don’t get fit enough to compete at horse riding by horse riding – unless you do it all day!!

Just thought I’d pick your (considerably more intelligent) brains for a few minutes…… Yes, it is back to the chemistry, but what method of studying it works for you guys?? I was on the Allhonours website earlier and studying for chemistry seems to be a big topic for discussion!! Mostly it was just people who found it difficult to understand looking for help, but does just reading through your notes work for anyone?? It certainly doesn’t help me!!! Just curious that’s all =P

Oh yea, I knew there was something else I wanted to say :L I had my first day of HPAT practise last Saturday, and yes, you were right Ally, – the guy is a genius. I really put me at ease to know that I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t make sense of those puzzles!! I found the extra questions he gave out (the mock 2) much more difficult than the ACER ones though!! I did the whole section one this morning and that was tiring. It’s probably my second favourite section but I got a way lower score in it than I had form the ACER one =( I think I’ll put it down to needing practise though so I don’t get too disheartened!!
Anyways I had better go do some proper study instead of just pretending to =S

Have a good week…… oh and make sure those cao applications are in!!

Toodles

Katie xxx

Note to self: Always check start time of open days before going.

As the above suggests, like a fool, I took the only 109 bus to Belfield on Friday the 4th for the UCD open day. Got up at 6.30 and caught the bus @ 7.15, with my brothers who do this every day for school. I was really happy with myself, and it looked like there were lots of others on the bus with my idea of getting in early to beat the crowds. Well I certainly did that! At Belfield I got off the bus with the two remaining people, both students. Oooppss!
Well I suppose it meant that I got to see a lot of the campus! I spent the first hour wandering around trying to look like I knew where I was going! Lol! It’s so big! Actually huge! Nearly too big methinks =/ Did anyone else go up? Don’t get me wrong if I got the chance I’d go, but it probably won’t be my first choice!

How was the week for everyone else? We started getting our test results back…….. They actually didn’t go that badly, surprisingly. It’s a nice feeling to know that all the work you’ve done has paid off =D I was delighted with my B1 in Irish because it was so close to an A (84%) so almost there! English; meh, my teachers an easy marker. Basically anyone who hands up work gets an A. I got an A2, but I would have given myself a C!! Biology was something similar. And I passed my maths!! I was full sure that id failed so my D2 (47%) was a nice surprise =D Still waiting on some results but over all im pretty pleased =) For this time of the year anyway they’re ok…….Most of the stress ha had been piling up over the last few weeks has now been relieved….. what a feeling!! But there’s one part of my routine that’s still missing; exercise! Now I would consider myself afairly active person, especially during the summer, but now I’ve no time! Its not that im super image concious, I’m not! But I know its important to be healthy, and well healthy body, healthy mind! I did try to build 20mins a day into my time table but well, it hard to face into an accounting question at eight o clock when you know you still have chemistry to do =( Does anyone else have this problem???

Saturday night was my first night out since mid-term, and it was brilliant! It was an 18th so yes its allowable! Actualy its was a double surprise 18th. Now, surprises in Kells never are very surprising, bt this was! YAY =D The twins didnt have a clue!! Athboy was dead quiet but we had a great night. Its ok to treat yourself once in a while…………. so im going out next weekend too =P

Only two days of school this week, and Trinnity open day too. What more could you want? I love walking down Grafton street when all the christmas lights are up. CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!!! Well I think it will be window shopping for the mo …. broke!!!
Anyways I hope everyone has a good week…. I had better get back to some study =/
Ta ta
Katie xxx

New Moon. Edward Cullen. Xfactor. Tests. Work. Mocks. Christmas.

I know il sound like the average teen girl, but i loved new moon. I dragged a certain someone to it, but he enjoyed it, so he says . What did you all think of it? I’m planning on seeing it again next week, or seeing paranormal activity.

So school. I got 100% in economics test. ive never been so proud. and to top it off, i got 100% in intregration math test and accounting too. Its been a long way to my 60% average last year. Im begining to see the slight advantage to repeating. Even though im not fond of repeating im a little less stressed and more focused ( i think).

I was at DCU open day, kinda fell in love with the city, and the talks made up my mind that I don’t want to go through UCAS . I’ll just work hard and get what i deserve and hopefully get into UCD or DCU,   Points wise I need roughly 450, since I reckon points will rise this year, I’m going to aim for more though, really push my limits maybe, hopefully get my entry requirement of a C3 in German so I can qualify for DCU this time. woo.

I just got offered a job and the weekend.. it was spur of the moment, i felt to honoured they approached me. I agreed without thinking how this will affect me.. so within the weekend? :S ah… which come first? presumingly education.. but ahhh!! Its only 5 weeks till Christmas holiday.. by god, I really need to get into it, I just want to prove to all those people that are giving me negativity about this year, ive heard to many time that “whats gonna happen now if you get less points that last year, sickend!” I am thinking of the possibility of banning myself from facebook!

ENOUGH RANT MAY! haha

On a happy note, i havent been this happy all year. im seeing the other side of life and im going to make out a weekly timetable.. and maybe stick to this one. off to homework. Then.. XFACTOR

Byee xx

P.s i need urgent help on theory on Music..  any hints on books, or revision books?

This week I was offered a BIG distraction from my studies. And no, it wasn’t ‘Jedward’ committing sacrilege on one of the greatest ‘Queen’ ballads. This “BIG” distraction is 5 pounds and 13 ounces, smells of talc and is lost in a few cotton blankets: I became an uncle for the first time this week. Unfortunately, I don’t know whether to treat my first nephew as an incentive or disuassion to do well in my leaving cert. because, well, quite bluntly; he’s so damn cute and I feel terrible when I’m not trawling through King Lear and composition papers, but I feel worse when I’m not cuddling “the little bundle of joy”. What to do? What to do?

It’s not that I’m not dedicated to my studies and examinations, but since the little “bloighter” came along I feel a slight responsibility to spend time with him each day. Only trouble is, I spend more and more time with him and less and less time summarising Mussolini’s Italy and the structure of a flowering plant – uh-oh!

Yet, from Monday, I’ve sworn to turn over a new leaf (in my textbooks ) and delve ever-more deeply into the leaving cert. courses. But….It’s “sooooooooo” difficult – boo-hoo! But needs must I suppose. I’m not going to get to college by spending time glowering over a baby who has no intention of comprehending what is going on around him anyway.

However, thanks to all you wonderful people at allhonours.ie I’ve found out that:

a) I DO NOT have to re-sit my maths exam;
b) I now know EXACTLY how to answer difficult questions and;
c) That I’m not the ONLY ONE struggling out there!

It’s a great support system we have here and I intend to take FULL advantage or it!

When I did get time to myself – (today!) – I found myself drawn to the comma-inducing Skytv: Will & Grace, Twilight and The Simpsons… And then we had the X-Factor! How on God’s (or Allah’s or whatever’s) Good Earth did Jedward get through again? That is not to say I was a fan of Jamie Archer’s but still, now two highly talented performers’ – (if we include Lucy) – dreams have been splattered all over Kleenex tissues and £1,000 magazine deals whilst two incredibly talent-LESS vocalists remain in a competition designed to promote the next BIG SUPERSTAR VOCALIST!

Now I’m not suggesting that ‘Jedward’ are completely useless: they are highly entertaining for two tone-deaf, turkey-legged, clumsy teens but when is enough going to be enough? When they actually win the competition and record one of the world’s worst atrocities of a record? They are almost as ridiculous as Donna and Joseph McCaul -remember them? And quite frankly; they are a complete embarrassment with the amount of musical talent this country has to offer – and what is worse is that they were chosen to represent Ireland by Louis Walsh, a fellow Irishman (a trumped-up, prima donna, bitchy Irishman, but an Irishman nonetheless). I do realise he has created highly-coveted groups before in ‘Boyzone’ and ‘Westlife’, but at least those groups had a least one or two competent singers.

We also have another “BIG” distraction for the next three weeks (which are some of the most important for revision before the mocks): ‘I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!’ As tantalizingly shocking as ‘Jedward’ are, Ant and Dec are arguably more-so. And I LOVE ‘EM! They are the best thing to happen to television since ‘Stars In Their Eyes’ – (now THAT was good television! ) – and I’m seething about the fact that under no condition shall I be able to ignore my daily dose of Z-List Celebs bickering, doing trials, eating testes and crying unceremoniously into a  6-inch camera-lens ! Why must my feeble brain be fried by tv that doesn’t matter in “the long run”?

TO-DO LIST:

a) Apply as an external candidate (late I know);
b) Finish an exam paper on each subject (if I can);
c) Apply my C.A.O. application and;
d) Actually do some work!

Well, that about sums it up for this week. What have all of you got set for this week? Is there anything that works as incentives or disuassions for you? Are you growing steadily more addicted to reality tv? Or are you, unlike me, wise enough to stay stuck-to-the-books?

Until next week,

Ian

Her artistic sense was exquisitely refined, like someone who can tell butter from the “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” ad.
I’m still struggling to believe the guy who used this in an English essay last year received 520 points and is now doing medicine thanks to the HPAT. That guy is meant to be the difference between my funeral being open casket or closed? I should probably introduce myself, names Gera, was simply Ger but ye got to have that ‘a’, yeno how it is. Doing the ole leaving cert, and as the quote up top might tell you, yes the whole thing is a joke. I mean I knew this guy and he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, prob couldn’t tell you which way an elevator was going if you gave him two guesses, yet funnily enough he was the lucky one who was born with one hell of a memory. I think it’s fair to say the L.C is just one big memory test that’s just waiting for you to throw away your social life and put a ban on the alcoholic substances, preferably tequila. Neither of which goes down well with me I’m afraid. Now don’t get me wrong I’m trying to get a hang of this thing, what with writing out notes, sharpening the pencils, cleaning up the room but still cant manage to actually sit down and retain some pointless info that I’m just going to forget about when I go to college to study law (hopefully). The aim is 500 points for trinity, now getting this is the difference between me having a roof over my head and me busking outside Easons come September as law in trinity is a pretty big tradition in the ole family, supposedly I have 10 cousins involved with politics, go figure. Now this should be enough to motivate anyone to go for their desired points but it’s actually the proposed motorcycle my da will get me if I manage to get 500 is what’s doing the trick. Suzuki GSX-R1000 in yellow, oh yes. I think the only reason he made this deal was because he probably thought I had no chance of passing the theory test as I wasn’t going to pay another 30 Euro to re-take it if I failed now. Come to think of it – and I’m not proud of this by the way- but Id say if I didn’t write out the answers on my arm I wouldn’t have been able to see the look on his face perhaps acknowledging maybe just maybe he might have to buy a bike after all. Anyway that’s my post for the week, have to write out an English essay on pride and prejudice (I think). I’m just getting used to this thing by the way ,what with being the only guy and all, give us a chance goddd ha.