Just posting something :)
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Daydream (The Lovin' Spoonful)
Topic: Driving

Well, tomorrow Tina and I are going to be driving up to Chester - we are overnighting in Chester at Pennies Guest House, so hope all goes well. I'm going up for Richard's induction (???). However, I'm planning to venture onto the motorway for the first time - so, hoping all goes well, never ever driving on the motorway as yet, I figure if I can drive on the A5 - the motorway can't be much worse than that. I'll just stay on the leftmost lane and pretend the lane next to me is the only one (so, it would feel like a dual carriageway) - well, that's my plan. If I get scared on it - I'm coming off at the next junction and taking the A roads all to Chester (got my map instructions for any situation arising).

Anyway, so tomorrow I venture onto the M1 and if I'm not to scared then into the M6 - hope all goes well for me.

Going to a barbecue
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: P.F.Sloan (The Association)
Topic: Events
So, since I haven't posted here anything publicly in awhile - I decided to post something now ... Well, this afternoon going to a barbecue at the Vicarage in Wolverton, gonna pick up Tina and go there.

I hope it is fun ... Joachim stays at the Vicarage and invited me over, it is actually being sponsored by the PGSS - but I don't usually go to PGSS events, but since Joachim told me to come - I decided why not.

Also, Imran invited me and Tina to come along to the same event as well ... (I think after my rant about the PGSS and its events at the Make a Difference conference - he thought I should come and experience one!).

Tomorrow, I'm also going to a next barbecue but this one being held for the church's ecumenical council members. Eric and Judy are hosting it at their place in Walton Park - so, got to pick up Nana and Paul. Going to pick up Nana first and then we are going to see how well we are at maps in order to find Paul's place. That should be interesting!

Iqbal
Mood:  bright
Now Playing: I Put a Spell on You (Manfred Mann)
Topic: Cinema
So, last Saturday went to see an Indian movie called Iqbal ... there weren't any 'real' stars in the show except for Naseruddin Shah ... but the movie was surprisingly quite good. I enjoyed it immensely. I think much better than the stuff that the Indian film cinema has been churning out recently. The movie is about a mute boy who wants to be a cricketer ... and the movie just follows how he become a cricketer for the Indian team. I thought it was quite nice - a very simple concept but a nice movie ... unfortunately I don't think it would be doing so well at cinemas. I was the only person in the cinema for that movie (yup the only person!).

The music in the movie was quite good too - but they didn't provide English translation for the song or is it songs (I'm not certain if it was one song or two). The movie was funded by some British council (I think) - for it to be shown here. I think it is a sweet movie on people fighting for their dream and trying to overcome problems that they are presented with. I think what I love about it - is that it showed a bit more of the 'real' India, with people who look like 'real' Indians rather than the stylicized (alright not a word but sounds better than stylized) Bollywood stars including Aamir Khan.

Its going to be spring!!
Mood:  lazy
Now Playing: Coward of the County (Kenny Rogers)
Topic: Milton Keynes
The weather is going to change finally!! Its going to be a whopping 13oC in MK by the weekend .... finally ... these 7s and 8s and whatever below that is going to disappear forever .. well, unless the weather decides to take a change ...and autumn and winter comes around. Never thought I would be so glad about the weather - you really have to be obsessed with the weather in this country.

I might be able to wear a dress or skirt ... been stuck in trousers for so long ... but don't know how warm a 214oC that's gonna be ... so might wait until it is declared to be a high about 16oC or 18oC before I take any chance :D.

Ecumenical Council
Mood:  lazy
Now Playing: Kasam Se (Jaanwar)
Topic: Lent
Well ... this is really about church - but Lent was the closest topic heading to that (and also now is Lent anyhow!)

Anyway last Sunday, it was vocation Sunday in church (couldn't remember what it meant at the time)- turns out to be finding jobs in the church so on my way out Beverly 'accosted' me and said she had a job for me, which made me very wary and apprehensive at the same time. But then she told me that Richard and her were thinking that I should join the ecumenical council, so I had to plead ignorance because I have no idea what an ecumenical council was but Richard said it was one of the better kind of meetings I could attend to and it is where I basically be myself and share my opinions and then these help shape or guide the church (I'm sure he said it much better than I and he probably actually knew what he was speaking about!). But he did say it is a good phrase to name-drop in church gatherings and I should get respect. Well before he told me all that stuff, I told Beverly yes (because I'm just bored and need to fill in my days) although she said I should go and have a think about it and prayer about it too - but didn't that much time ... :).

I bought a car!!!
Mood:  celebratory
Now Playing: I Won't Dance (Frank Sinatra)
Topic: Driving
Well .. on Saturday I bought a car ... a cheap one ... a black 1996 Renault Clio 1.4 RT ... for 825 pounds ... I thought that was a good price ... did beat down the price from 850 - so that's even better.

Insurance price is a bit of a killer ... given I have my licence for 2 months ... and in this country for less than 3 years ... but got a quote with the AA for 602 pounds ... so that was good - considering the other places on the internet were giving some insurance for me like 700-800 pounds, so I think that's pretty ok.

I did buy this car pretty quick, saw the advert on the OU advert sight on Thursday, saw the car on Friday with Rebecca (agreed to buy then) and got transfer of sale on Saturday.

The car came with a brand new battery and alternator ... so, that's quite alright. I asked the guy, Graham, about the brakes (he said they should be alright) and the cam belt (but according to him I shouldn't need changing that anytime soon - because it was changed - I'm guessing around 60,000 miles he must have done it). He did say there was only one previous owner besides himself (a friend of his), but when I looked up the registration plates it said 4 owners ... got me worried a bit, but when I checked the MOT, they were all at the same place from 1999-2001 ... so guessing it might have just been in the family with transfer of names.

Skimmed milk
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Blue Bonnet Lane (Don Edwards)
Topic: Pet Peeves
Well, had to drink semi-skimmed milk this morning - because on Saturday and Sunday when I went to Sainsburys there were no skimmed milk ... don't like the taste of semi-skimmed.

People find that strange that I actually like skimmed milk - but I do think it tastes so much better - Angela used to call skimmed milk "coloured water" because according to her that's how best it could taste.

I remember once when we (Amalia, Ritch and I) were staying at Margaret's house, the neighbour came across and I was going through the groceries and was whining that they bought semi-skimmed - and the neighbour she says "I know skimmed is healthier isn't it?" - and I had to explain to her I like the taste of skimmed and she look at me with surprise. So - whadya know in some stuff I actually like the healthy things.

Got my licence and phone today!!
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: It's a Little Too Late (Tanya Tucker)
Topic: Internet fun things
Ok ... technically not internet fun things ... but it is a 'fun thing'.

Well, after much agonizing whether my licence and phone will come in time before I leave it arrived today... got to thank God for that ... because I did ask him to swing it my way if possible ... and I guess God does answer my prayers :D ... in most cases.

So, my licence still have that horrible picture, could change it if I want to, but need to get someone to sign the pic who knew me for 2 years or go to the DVLA (in Oxford) to get it done - just waaay too much hassle, so will settle with the horrible pic, until next year Oct, because then some people here in the OU will know me for two years.

The phone is still charging - waiting for it to charge up to connect it up and set up an internet account etc. Well, waiting on it.

Going home on Saturday :D!!!
Mood:  bright
Now Playing: This Boat (Joey Dee)
Topic: Family
So, Papa and the whole family went down to the BWEE office last Friday, and they got my BWEE club card sorted and got my ticket changed to Saturday instead of Sunday ... so, that's great for a couple of reasons:
1. I get an extra day with my family
2. Get to go to church - so, will get to sing some more Christmas Carols
3. I wouldn't have to get an early bus on Sunday but a train instead (trains don't run on Sunday mornings)

So, feeling good about all those reasons. Anyway, got a supervision this evening - not sure how that is going to pan out since I've sort of been on holiday mode since I've passed my driver's test.

Only thing is that I'm not sure if I'll get my driver's licence before I go to Trinidad, since the DVLA said it will be with me usually withing 3 weeks, but this Friday is only the 2 week mark - so problem ... besides the post office isn't the most reliable at this time of the year.

I ordered a phone on amazon, on last Sunday and was hoping to carry it with me to Trinidad - but now Amazon says it will be delivered only after Christmas ... so, wondering if I should cancel since I won't be getting to use it in Trinidad. Besides, Amalia said they bought a phone for me to use in Trinidad (this is after I ordered) ... so, may not need a phone.

I passed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mood:  incredulous
Now Playing: West End Girls (Pet Shop Boys)
Topic: Driving
I passed!!! Could you believe it? I still can't believe it ... heck, I was nervous not really during the driving but during the manouevres (parallel parking and reverse around a corner) which I really did terrible ... but was still able to pass with that (I just think the examiner was taking pity on me) ... I passed with 9 minors .. so that is great.