Heyalo people!

It's been a while since I posted, and since then I have been doing my nursing course and YAY! It's fantastic! It's gone so fast though, been here 9ish weeks already and it's just been so busy and so much fun. The people are shiny, the place is shiny, the lecturers are shiny, the placement is shiny, the staff are shiny, the patients are shiny. It's basically one whole pile of shine, hehehe. It's probably one of the busiest things i've done though, and I really feel like i'm in the right place at the right time for me. I love getting to help people every day, there's a nice glowy feeling. There are emotionally challenging parts, patients often have very sad tales to tell, or there are signs of hard lives left on them, and then people die and relatives need comforting, and it's hard, looking in on human suffering, but the fact that I can be there and help in all the ways I can makes everything worthwhile. Holding someone's hand whilst they're in pain and waiting for the pain medication to be upped may not seem like a bit thing to do, but it can mean a lot to people. Even just listening to stories the patients have to tell can really help, people should never forget the little things, as well as the big things, 'cos I find the little things tend to really be bigger than the big ones. Heard a sweet story from an 85 year old about how he met his wife. He was a chef in the army during the war, went over to Germany, met a young German girl there coming out of a church and said he was going to come back for her and marry her, when he first met her, kinda jokingly, but he did! He went back and brought her over and they were married for many many years, though she unfortunately is dead now. He keeps her picture by his bed though.

Not had much time to post, since there's always so much to do and learn, it's a really good course but they're packing things in. I'm glad I did a biology degree first, gives me a decent grounding. Currently busy working on my learning outcomes for this first placement. I really should've done more, earlier... I always leave things 'til near the end, oops! I would love to tell you all kinds of interesting tales from my last few weeks, the funny ones, the awkward ones, the sad ones, the happy ones, the downright shocking ones, the ones that fall into many of those categories. So many people, so many lives, so many stories, but it'd take forever. I'll probably share some, when they're relevant to something. All the while maintaining confidentiality though, don't worry!

Anyway, I just wanted to let people know that i'm still alive and well and...shiny!
I have been keeping up on reading my flist, even though i've not been posting. :)

I hope you have all been well and shiny too, and enjoying whatever you are currently doing!
Be Happy!
Love to all!
Zoe.

Heya people!
Just realised I haven't posted since May, which seems a long time ago.
So, the question I know you're all dying to know the answer to, just what has Zoe been doing in those past few months?
Hmmm, let's see...did some exams, had some fun, went to the summer ball, graduated, got to wear the funny gown and hat at graduation, which was fun. Then I was a free Zoe agent!

Kaz and I went backpacking around Thailand for a month, which was absolutely one of the most amazing experiences of my life, did so much. Went jungle trekking, stayed in a bamboo hut, stroked tigers in a tiger sanctuary run by monks, rode an elephant, did a cooking course, went on the Bridge over the River Kwai, swam in the River Kwai and nearly got swept away by the current into an elephant, ate lots of yummy food, stayed on a little island paradise for a bit with sun, sea and palm trees, did a diving course so am now certified to dive to 18m, and just so much more. There are some pictures up on facebook, if anyone wants to see, Kaz put them up on his but you can get to them from my profile. Thailand is strange because outside of the cities it is beautiful, but inside the cities it's quite run down and smells of exhaust fumes. The people are really lovely and sweet and smily, in particular one food stall lady who liked us and gave us free fruit when we told her we had to go, bless. The tuktuk drivers weren't so nice though, didn't like them, they kept trying to get money out of us by lying but we were wiser than that (we had a map, so we knew where we were, so they couldn't get us to pay for them to take us just two streets etc).
All in all though, we had a great time. :) <3

And then we came back, and i've been preparing to start my Postgraduate Diploma in Adult Nursing course! Yay! I hope I can be a good nurse, I want to try look after people as best as I can. I can't wait to start, I go on the 12th September, so not long now!

I've also been reading more Philippa Gregory novels, she's great, I love historical fiction. Anyone got any more good historical fiction writers/books they'd like to recommend?

Well, I hope people are shiny and well. Love to you all. Best of luck with all your endeavours.
Be Happy!
Zoe.

Right, i'm currently terrified of next week's final exams, so, I thought i'd put things into a bit of perspective and write down my goals for the future. There are probably more, but these are some from the top of my head.

- Keep loving and being loved.
- Help people, make people happy, and attempt to make the world shinier whatever I do.
- Get at least a 2.2 in my biology degree (obviously higher would be nice, but a 2.2 wouldn't kill me)
- Get a job doing something I love and that is useful to society, e.g a nurse.
- Go on to research, try find cures and treatments for various diseases.
- Go to a Fairy Festival.
- Take mum to the Ice Hotel and to see the Northern Lights. Grandad too if he wants to go.
- Take mum and grandad on a lovely holiday. They seriously deserve it.
- Go to mount Kilimanjaro.
- Visit every continent and learn shiny things.
- Get a Volks doll from Japan in person, and acquire the two other Pullip dolls I have my eyes on.
- Learn to be fluent in many languages, including German, Japanese, Russian, and Italian.
- Read all the stuff I want to read.
- Have children.
- Earn enough money that I don't have to worry too much about money.
- Be Happy.

There. That is what i'm aiming for.
Doable? Possibly. I'm 21, I hopefully have a nice long life ahead in which to achieve as much of that as I can.

Ready, Steady, Go!

Hey again all you shiny people,
Sorry I didn't realise i'd neglected you all since January. Time is running away from me again, so much to do!
So, what've I been up to since my last post? Well, generally getting on with my final year at uni, lots of work, turning 21 and having random change of life plans.

I think I'm going to take a postgraduate diploma in nursing studies next, and become a nurse! I'm really excited about it and hope I get onto the course. I know I always wanted to go into research, but i'm going to do that later, possibly as a nurse, since I can't afford to do a masters at the moment, and nursing just really appeals to me. It's always been on my 'things Zoe would quite like doing' list, so i've decided to just go with it. Besides, you can do a PhD in nursing, which'd be absolutely fantastic, being a Dr nurse. It'd amuse me every day. I'd wake up and go "Hehehehe, i'm Dr Zoe the nurse!"
I know some people seem to think that becoming a nurse would be a bit of a step down after doing a degree and all but i'd rather do what I want to do than what I could do. I need to do something with my life that helps people and to me nursing seems an incredibly worthwhile career with lots of opportunities. I'm lucky that my mum and grandad are both people who are very supportive and are letting me go on and do whatever it is I decide to go on and do, as long as i'm happy. I know some peoples' parentals aren't like that.

I'm on easter hols at the moment, although they don't feel very holiday-like since there's so much work in for the first day back and exams too. It's not been too bad though because i've been mostly living at Kaz's and using his interwebs whilst he's been at work during the day, so I achieve more work than I'd achieve at home in the internetless dark ages.

My big plans for the immediate future?
Well, tonight I think i'm going to try make apple crumble because the other day at the supermarket it was about 5 minutes to closing time and one of the girls who worked there came up and asked if we wanted to buy a bag of cooking apples for 10p, so we did. Little things like that make me happy, and I shall taste the happiness later tonight when it's made :)

I'm just a bit worried in general though about my less immediate future, I just hope I end up where I'm meant to be when i'm meant to be there and all that.

What kind of career paths have any of you taken/planning to take? Did you end up where you are now straight away or has it taken a while?

I met a lady in Turkey when I was on holiday last year and she was earning lots and lots working as some higher up person in some firm, but she said she'd just fallen into it later in life, she'd done a degree in fine arts first and her work was nothing to do with it but she said she loved it. As long as I end up in a job I enjoy and that I feel is truly useful (I have to feel fulfilled, it has to be helpful to people or I won't feel pointy) then i'll be happy.

Hope you are all well,
Loves to all of you.
Be Happy!
Zoe.

Well hello there dearest of dears, how are you all?
I know a lot of you are stressing out at the moment, recession and degrees and jobs (or lack thereof) and all that.

Recently i've fallen into the trap of stressing way too much about final year at uni and graduating and finding a job and letting everything get on top of me, and I realised that i'd lost sight of the big picture again. I miss being the happy, cheery, bumble-along Zoe I once was, she made much more sense than the frazzled, panicky, stressed-out Zoe who has somehow swapped bodies with her. Out out! I say to frazzled Zoe! She has forgotten everything important and cannot see the wood for the trees. The only reason I wanted to be a biologist in the first place was to try cure diseases and help people, and i'm fairly sure that my abilities and any chances I might have to help people be happier and healthier will not suddenly crumble away into dust if everything doesn't quite go according to plan in the next few months. Indeed, there are many options available to a Zoe if she stops being so panicked. Cheery Zoe is clearly better adapted for dealing with this, so I have to go find her again. It was so much easier, and did make people happier than the stressed Zoe.

So, I have sort of new year resolved to stop thinking thoughts such as

"Oh damn it, it's later than it should be, I have so much to do, I can't get it done, i'm going to fail and die, fail and die, fail and die..."

when I wake up in the morning, and instead replace those thoughts with -

"Yay! I woke up again! How fantastic, aren't I lucky? Now I can go about my day and interact with people I love and enjoy my lectures and labwork which I do find fascinating anyway and try make the world a better place second by second"

and then I can celebrate every day I wake up, because there's no guarantee i'll be lucky enough to wake up the day after. And, all those random clothes that i've acquired over the years for 'special occasions'? I'm going to wear them now, today, tomorrow, the day after, etc. Every day is officially a special occasion because I woke up and was physically and mentally able to pick clothes and get dressed and not be starving or cold or ill or blown up. Or I might wear my worst clothes, and not care about messing them up. Either way, i'm going to enjoy it, and look ridiculous every day, but it'll be fun.
I used to be cheerier, and i've had a term or two of being less cheery, and now i'm reverting back. Who's with me?

Yes, the world sucks, but getting depressed and stressed about it is not going to help anyone, so, this year is time to get our asses in gear, sort ourselves out, look after our friends and neighbours (both literal neighbours and worldy across continent neighbours who we've never contacted but we care about anyway) and realise that whilst we might not be able to save the world by ourselves in one go, we can save little bits of world in our own small ways.

Most importantly, I have made myself feel a little less stressed by procrastinating from the piles of work, and posting on LJ...

Well, be happy dudes and dudettes!
Zoe.

p.s No, i'm not on any crazy mind-altering drugs, I'm just feeling very 'goodwill towards the world and all it's inhabitants'y.

Hey people, can anyone explain to me how the English government thinks? I really don't get it half the time. I'm currently rather miffed and put out because the post doc researcher dude named Chris who works in the lab where i'm doing my undergrad third year project (on The Role of N2-Src in Neuroblastoma Differentiation, which is fun but a bit confusing) has apparently got 28 days to leave the country. He's been here for a year, he's a researcher, and he's from Australia. I don't understand why they're deporting him, just because of one form that must've got missed or something, and yet they let loads of random people who aren't doing as important jobs just stay here and give them lots of free money.

Now, don't get me wrong, I personally love the multiculturalness of this country and don't have any problem with people coming over here from everywhere in the world, but what I do have a problem with is the way the government seems to be going a bit mad. So, people who should be able to be here with no problem and who are working hard and paying taxes and all that seem to have a hard time, whereas people (and I know it's not many, it's a minority making it worse for the majority) who come over and don't do anything seem to get lots of benefits and stuff because the government is scared of being called racist.

I was very worried for a while about the future of my dear boyfriend Kaz and his family who came over to England from Japan when he was 11, for a while it was touch and go as to whether they'd be able to stay, and luckily they managed to get their indefinite leaves to remain but only after much trial and tribulation, speaking to MPs, going to embassies etc.
I've heard lots of stories among friends of similar issues, some with happy endings and some with not so happy endings, and it's just confusing.

Anyway, apparently Chris thinks he'll be able to come back before Christmas, he just needs to go back and sort it out again, but still. I need my post doc dude to help me when I get lost and confused in the lab where I seem to spend my entire life these days. I hope he gets to come back soon. We were all very shocked when we found out.

So yeah, why is it so complicated? I don't want my people to ever have to be sent away for no good reason, I don't like it!

Oh, and side note, it's now raining very heavily outside and so i'm glad I was productive and did my food shopping this morning, clever me :)

Anyway, besides that, hope you are all well. Sorry to hear about some sad things from people, I hope you feel better and find solace soon.
Zoe.

I want a mint aero. I don't know why, I haven't had one for ages and I'm always mildly disappointed when I do, but I still want one. I may have to get up off my ass and go buy one, probably not the most extravagant spend of the century even on a student budget so I might allow myself that luxury.

I haven't posted in ages so I should probably tell you about my life, so i'll summarise in a couple of sentences. Summer Holiday = good, involved Turkey and a muddy Leeds Fest and general relaxation and hanging about with peeps. Going Back to Uni to officially start third year next week = Terrifying, but i've had enough holiday now and i've been back in York for a couple of weeks already and would like some actual scheduled things to do to make me get up on time. Also, i'm restarting saxophone lessons next week. I took it up a few years ago but had to quit after moving schools so didn't get very far. I've forgotten all of it now but there's no point having an unused saxophone so i'm going to do it again. I feel sorry for my housemates who are going to have to put up with my practising, i'll try do it when no one is around.
I think that sums up my life roughly for now. Oh, and my boyfriend Kaz got his visa with indefinite leave to remain here in England now so he can definitely finally go to uni next year, yay! Poor dude, he's had to wait so long, i'll have finished before he goes even though he's the same age, well, a few months older, same thing.

Annyway, enough about me, I want to hear about you people! Now I finally have reliable internet I want to see what's going on in the world.

Oh, and Happy Birthday for Yesterday Lexie! Liz posted a happy birthday picture for you, but I fail at having a camera device right now, so just imagine a happy birthday picture please. Make sure it's something amazing.

By the way, since i'm going to be inundated with hard work as soon as term begins i'm going to need some good form of procrastination, so if anyone wants me to use my procrastination time to write them a letter, possibly complete with random doodles, feel free to email me your address (zolothepolo @ hotmail . com) (get rid of the spaces) and I shall get around to that the next time i'm avoiding productivity.

I hope you are all well. Be Happy!
Zoe
p.s loves to all

Hello Wonderful People!
I'm back from Turkey now! Well, actually, I got back at some stupid time on Thursday morning but i've been sleeping and dillydallying and failing to have internet access since then, but now I have dialup again. Ahh, damn dialup, still, better than nothing. I'm sorry if I'm not going to be very good at commenting and such for a while, but I tend not to come online much when it's so slow. lol.
Anyway, Turkey was absolutely amazing! Kaz and I had lots of fun, went on boat trips and swimming in random lakes and seas and around ancient ruins and in mud baths and to the beach, and had a go on one of those banana boat things behind a speed boat. All sorts. I'd go into much more detail, but there's so much and I don't want to bore you. We learnt some turkish too, there was a lovely shopkeeper and his wife who we sorta made friends with who spoke a bit of english and taught us a bit of turkish and kept giving us turkish tea every time we saw him and invited us to sit with him and his friends trying to hold conversations in a mix of garbled turkish, english and german, which was fun. The restaurants were great there too, the prices were never fixed and could always be wiggled lower and they always gave us free random stuff all the time. Everyone was so lovely, although a little scary in shops when you glance at something and they pounce on you. I also got a tan, although not just by sunbathing. I managed that malarkey for about ten minutes but then I got bored. What's the deal with just lying there cooking yourself? Not for me thankies, I want to do something damnit!
Anyway, yeah, it was brilliant. Kaz and I are already thinking about going on other holidays, although of course i'd have to save up a lot before then, but it was good to spend a whole week together just being happy and enjoying the Turkish atmosphere. Ooh, and we had a Turkish Bath, and one morning there was an Earthquake (and I was half asleep and thought it was Kaz shaking the bed and I woke him up to tell him to stop it, lol, it was quite funny). The only annoying thing was the mosque which woke us up by yelling at us at 5am every morning, calling people to prayer. The first morning I thought it was like a fire alarm or something, I was like "Argh! What the hell is that? Are we supposed to evacuate?"
But yeah, amazingness all round really, except I learnt that i'm not a beach person (the splashing in the sea is fun, the lying around in the damned blasted sand and heat is not) and that Zoes overheat easily in hot countries and get laughed at by Kazs who are used to heat being from warm areas of Japan and all.

Anyway, so tell me, since i've been away, how are your summer holidays treating you? I tried to look through my flist but there were so many entries I had to skim and so if there's anything important I might've missed let me know! How is life, everyone?
Be Happy!
Zoe.

Heyalo!
Well, last entry I told you about how Kaz and I wanted to go on Holiday and we weren't sure where, this entry I will tell you where we're going to go!
We went to the travel agents and spoke with the lady there for like 2 hours with our two requests (to go on holiday, and not spend too much, we weren't bothered where or exactly when) and it has now been decided that we're going to Dalyan in Turkey for a week on the 9th July! I can't wait! I'm seriously bouncing about the whole thing. Got to get through my exams first though, ack. Still, it's a nice reward to look forward to. I just have to hope i'll look OK on the beach after all the icecream and biscuits i've been eating to get me through revision, heheheh. I'm not really a beach person though, I want to go on the daytrips to Ephesus and Pamukkale and go to the mudbaths and turtle beach. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! OK, that'll do with the EEEEEEEs for now, but secretly in my head they're still going. Maybe a bit more... EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
...i'm done, for now.

In other news I need more books to read over the summer, i've made a list of 7, so I want 3 more to make it onto my shortlist for reading before I have to actually do project work etc. 10 seems a decent number, so, recommendations anyone? Books you think everyone should read before they die or just something you read recently and particularly enjoyed?

Well, I hope you are all well! I should probably do some revision or something now...
Be Happy!
Love you all!
Zoe.

So.... I have lots of scientific papers to read, questions to answer, presentations to prepare, modules to choose and essays to write preferably all by the end of this week and therefore I have decided to update LJ.
It's the done thing right?
I have absolutely nothing of interest to say, but i'm going to spend as much time as I can saying it.

My little Zoe brain is feeling rather stressed, and I messed up today by telling a dear friend of mine something she didn't want to hear about her ex-boyfriend 'cos I thought maybe it'd help her get over him and I felt bad knowing and not saying, as if I was lying or something. Ah, life is complicated especially where boys are involved, I wish I could find a way to make her feel better, her ex-boy is really not worth being sad about 'cos he acted very idiotically and even though he's technically one of my best friends I am very annoyed with him about it all and have kinda been avoiding him...

Oh, but speaking of boys, the one I love very much (Kaz) and I are planning on going on holiday this summer! I've never been anywhere but Germany, Wales and Scotland (which I know is more than some people, but I really want to see more of the World!) so i'm very excited, dunno where we're going yet though, maybe Crete. We're checking the cheap holiday deals ;) Anyone ever been to Crete or Greece in general? Is it nice? I want somewhere with interesting things to do and see, I'm not the lounging on the beach kind...

How is everyone doing with exams and their work etc? It seems everyone is either stressing or free at the moment. Still, one month to go then Summer Freedom! I need to invest in a summer wardrobe, I know it's England but I have a distinct lack of summery clothes and don't want to boil. I think shorts and skirts are required.

Btw, be nice to ducklings. I have learnt the one fundamental rule of being a duckling through watching things on campus - Everything eats ducklings. Crows eat ducklings, big fish in the lake eat ducklings, other birds randomly kill ducklings... It is not a good idea to be a duckling, even though you are incredibly cute and fluffy. At least there was a sign in one of the campus buildings apparently saying "Please allow ducklings to cross the corridor". They must've kept wandering in, awwwwww.

And on that note, toodles!
Be Happy!
Zoe.

Heyalo peeps!
You know, it struck me today after my first exam of this new term (which went well actually, at least I think/hope) that not enough thought is given to the hidden costs of exams.

Chocolate and other snack related expenses dramatically increase, proportional to time spent stressing/revising/procrastinating.
Phone bill increase as calling people when bored of revising and trying to continue the call as long as possible so you don't have to back to revising.
The fact that there is a shop on campus inbetween me and the exam room and so on the way out i'm tempted to buy treats that I don't need, like random cartons of apple and grapefruit juice that I don't even know if I like but seemed like a good idea at the time, so, class that as Random Shop Expenditure.
Internet Shopping bills as you remake friends with Amazon and buy boxsets of things because you're bored and because post will cheer you up even if you had to engineer it yourself.
Paper costs to both me and the environment, thought i'd throw that one in there too, and ink in pens as well, and electricity bills I need to keep the light on way into the night to keep revising, and to keep the laptop going.

... i'm sure there are more, not to mention the stressful emotional costs, lol.
Anyway, my point is that since exams are clearly so bad for your health (all those snacks aren't doing you annnnny good, and nor is having to sit and revise when you could be bouncing around) and finances, why is this obvious form of torture allowed to continue!?
In the future they'll look back on it and be like "Oh my gosh, they used to make people take exams? Sit in a room very quietly and write things 'til their hands hurt?" in the same way we say "Oh my gosh, they used to think slavery was ok with all the whipping and the degradation etc?"

Well, ok...maybe they won't, and I suppose they're OK really and they are a useful indicator of academic prowess, but I still don't have to love them.... Although mine are being OK at the moment, although I shouldn't tempt fate and speak too soon.
Anyone else think of more hidden costs to add to my cause?

I hope you are all well and jolly!
*loves*
Be Happy!
Zoe.

Hello!
Long time no speak! Sorry to have neglected you all, I will try to update more I promise, I just get distracted too easily and then forget what it was I wanted to say. Annnnnyway, i'll just fill you in on what i've been doing for the past two months because i'm sure you're all desperate to know! Erm...not much really. Finished term, came home to the new house which is still in the process of being decorated, I have the smallest room (since i'm not here much) and so to make more space mum gave me one of those cabin beds which you climb up into and have the desk and wardrobe and stuff underneath. It's great, I feel like a kid again. Which, makes sense, since I turned twenteen the other day. I didn't get a rush of knowledge, but I did have fun going to the beach in the morning and then having lots of curry at a curry buffet with some friends the next evening (i.e last night). Yummmmm! Still kinda full...lol I couldn't manage to keep up with Richard, Arron and Kaz, but I still ate quite a lot!
In sadder news though, one of my cats Louis died a couple of weeks ago, :( I guess the injuries he sustained a couple of years ago finally caught up with him, used up all his 9 lives. I'm ok about it now though.
In happier news I got a new Pullip doll for my birthday from dearest Kaz! Can't think of a name for her yet though. I want something ethereal and princessy sounding, like it'd fit in the tudor court (I just read The Other Boleyn Girl so I'm obsessed, damn good book! You should all go read it, you'll get swept away) but not too common, and I want it to fit with the name Sappho as a surname because I like it, even though Sappho isn't really a surname. Then i'll have _____ Sappho and Valdis Sullivan. Any suggestions?
Wow, this post was quite long and yet contains very little of interest... I promise to try post more interesting things soon, I'm sure I did lots of fascinating things, but I can't be bothered to write everything down.
Oh, but I love all of you, and I shall try not to neglect commenting on your journals anymore.
*kisses*
Be Happy!
Zoe.

Hello dear peoples!
How are you today? I hope you are well and bubbling with the joys of the new month. February is quite an interesting month, being the shortest month of the year and all, although this year it is a leap year so we get the 29th. I always wondered what you'd do if you were born on the 29th, would you have your birthday on the 28th or the 1st of March? I've only met one person who was born on that day and I don't remember.

Anyway, one of the things february is most famous for is, of course, Valentine's Day. It's creeping up on me and I don't know what to get my dear beloved dude Kaz. It'll be our second valentine's day together, eeee! We've been going out a year and a half now. He's so kind and sweet and loving. Now, he's Japanese but has been in England since he was 11 and the other day he was telling me about the Japanese custom of girls making and/or giving chocolate to the boys they liked on valentine's day and he was saying that when he was little he never got the chocolate, poor Kaz. To me this sounds like a hint, bless him, so I was wondering if anyone on my flist knows how to make chocolate? Or, any good recipes involving chocolate? It'll have to be fairly simple and not too expensive though because i'm a poor student and my cooking skills are limited but I thought it'd be nicer to try make something chocolatey rather than just nip to Thornton's or something. Although, I might buy a little box of chocolates in case mine turn out inedible or something.

So please, any budding chefs and chefesses out there? Send the secrets of chocolatey goodness my way please!
And I hope you all have great Valentine's days whether you're in relationships or not.
Thankies doodles!
Lots of love to you all!
Be Happy!
Zoe.

Hello!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope you all had fantastic new year eves and that 2008 brings you all joy, happiness and general reasons to smile and go "Yay!", and that it doesn't bring anyone much cause to be sad.

2007 went incredibly quickly, i'm not entirely sure what I did with it really...general university stuff and moving house I suppose. Time goes so fast though. I spent new year's eve with Kaz and some friends, and I was thinking how it seemed like barely any time at all since last new year's eve, also spent with Kaz and some different friends in a different place. (last time on a hill in the freezing wind watching fireworks and then singing karaoke, this time at Arron's house playing his playstation 3 and watching films, eating chinese food and drinking mulled wine) I'm happy though, I saw 2007 in and out with Kaz, I feel all loved up.

I'm hungry now...*stomach grumblings* but I have to wait for mother to get back from walking the dogs before we have food. I'm supposed to be revising, exams on the 7th, 8th and 10th. Haven't done it yet though, I started a bit, on one of the modules... I'm not good at this revision thing, it's impossible to do here. I'm better at working when i'm actually in York. Oh well. I'm sure it'll work out OK...*fingers crossed*
Good luck to everyone with exams when they get back! Good luck to everyone anyway, whether you have exams or not. General luck.

Ooh, by the way, I have a new doll, a Pullip Chill that Kaz bought me for Christmas, yay! <3 I'm so happy... I've called her Valdis Sullivan, and there's a whole backstory about norse tribes and wise-women and elderly irish gentlemen. When i'm back in York and not on this dialup internet stuff I may post pictures.

Oh, and i've started reading Claymore, the manga. I don't normally read manga but my friend Arron wanted it for christmas so I bought him it and then read his copy whilst I was there last night and I think it's great so I may actually have to invest in buying some for myself. Reminds me of Buffy the vampire slayer. Yay! Oh Oh Oh! And I saw the film Enchanted the other day, it's fantastic! I want to see it again! The girl who plays Giselle also played Tara's cousin in an episode of Buffy once and I recognised her.

Be Happy!
I love you all!
Zoe.
p.s sorry if this doesn't make much sense, little tired from last night... hehehe

Well hello again dear Peoples of the North, South, East and West.
Work is going well, bit hard, finish late sometimes but also occasionally get free desserts to take home. Last night I finished at about 10 to 12, in time to catch the last bus at 5 past 12. However, the bus never came so I thought "ack, bugger it, i'll walk it, it's only 20 minutes"

I will not be doing that again... there was this guy who was walking behind me with a blue and black jacket on with the hood up and a black thing in front of his mouth and nose so you could only see his eyes, and I felt a bit suspicious so I stopped on the pretence of checking behind me to see if the bus was coming and he walked past but when I turned around he turned around and took his penis out and started waving it at me and saying stuff coming towards me. Obviously this was quite disturbing and, being after midnight and all alone and such, I was rather nervous. Some people on bikes went past though and he disappeared. So I was like "Erm..." but then he reappeared and came back and tried to come towards me again so I shouted at him and told him to go away in slightly less polite terms and a car went past so he eventually did and so after he'd gone I ran home, bursting into tears on my way and phoning my dear boyfriend who got all worried and scared too and made sure I got home safe. I felt bad for waking him though, 'cos he had his driving test today but it's OK because he passed (YAY! Well done dude! *kisses* Now he can be my official chauffeur, i'll have to get him a hat!). I didn't want to make him worry or cry, but it made me feel so loved how worked up he got worrying about me. Although I did get in trouble for not getting a taxi. I'll make sure to do that from now on if the bus doesn't show up...silly bus...

Anyway, I got home safe, albeit a little shaken and feeling a bit silly for being so scared since nothing actually happened but I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking that something might've happened etc and I have a way over-active imagination. So, I phoned work this morning and asked if I could have an earlier shift finish tonight and told them what happened and they were all nice about it and said yes. They asked if i'd phoned the police, and I was thinking "Well, why would I phone the police? I'm fine. He was probably just some drunken twit". But then I phoned my mother and she said I should let them know 'cos suspicious guys like that might be up to something and i'd feel really bad if he did anything to someone else and I hadn't told, so I called their non-emergency line today and told them and they're all like "Oh, we'll send someone round to take details etc etc" and i'm like "Nooo, stop making it a big deal, I can tell you everything I know over the phone!" and yeah...apparently they're gonna try come round anyway, so now I feel stupid and like i'm making a fuss over nothing but then again, better safe than sorry. If I make a little fuss now, people might be safer.
Meh. Scary penis guy, dunno why he wanted to wave it around so much. If I was a guy with his penis I wouldn't be proud of it...

On a jollier note, I have to clock in and out of Nando's with my thumb print. Thumb print scanner! Yay! Technology! I'm going to take over the world! And it's nearly Christmas and Kaz has bought me a Pullip doll (Chill) and I can't wait! And my friend is having a Christmas cosplay party this Sunday and i'm going as Winry! Pretty much got my costume all sorted, maybe i'll post pictures. The blonde wig so isn't me though, lol, doesn't go with my skintone at all. I'm slightly too dark for such a light colour, being half-asian genetically and all. Oh well.
Love to all,
Be Happy!
Zoe.

Hello again my dear sweet residents of the online world!

I have some news -
Zoe is officially employed, as in, is going to get paid! (i've done things before, like charity shop work etc but all voluntary) The extra money should go far in helping me not go too far into my overdraft and upgrade me from poor student to slightly less poor student, lol.
I am now a cashier waitress person at Nando's! Yummy! Well, actually, i'm not yet until I start on the 25th of this month, but yeah.
They were really good, I went to their recruitment day this morning, very casual informal interview etc and games to play, and then this evening they rang me and said i'd got the job! woo!
I was a bit nervous, because whilst we were playing the game (building towers with paper) they were writing stuff on bits of paper, like assessing us, and I glimpsed the word 'talkative' next to my name and was wondering whether they considered that a good thing or a bad thing...
Now all I have to do is try not to be too clumsy. I wonder how Zoe will do in the world of gainful employment...

Annnyway, just thought i'd tell you all so you can all come to York when the restaurant opens and eat yummy chicken, or vegeburgers for the vegetarians amongst you. I don't care where you're from, if you're in York, you're heading Nando's-wards! Oh yeah! Being from an entirely different continent from me is no excuse for a failure to attend.

Yay! I'm so happy, this news totally made my day.
I want to spread the happiness vibes so here we go *lots of happy vibes whuzzing around the world to everyone*
Love to all!
Be Happy!
Zoe.

Why hello there dear livejournal peeps and peepesses!
Loooooooooooong time no speak! I HAVE FINALLY MANAGED TO RETURN TO THE ONLINE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!

*throws self all over the internet, kissing and hugging it* Ohhhh, i've missed you so much...

And i've missed you all too, I've felt so outlooped, being unable to read your LJs and being unable to post and all that. I shall get to reading and commenting right away, let me know if there's anything really important i've missed and need filling in on.

Ohhh, NaNoWriMo! Is anyone nanoing this year? I'm having a go, unfortunately I didn't manage it last year, but I think I have a vague shot this year, no harm in trying anyway. Besides, i've managed it 2 out of 3 times, so probabilities are in my favour, right? Not quite sure where my story is going really, but that's nothing new. I feel like recently any creativity I might've once had has gone flying out of the window. I miss RPing and all that jazz, now my life is full of science, which is fantastic i'll admit, but not as much scope for creativity in writing, only in practicality type stuff.

*bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce*
INTERNET! INTERNET! INTERNET! I haven't had this baby at my beck and call since before Easter... Finally back in business.
So, Happy Halloween, Happy Birthdays, Happy Bonfire Night, Happy [insert occasion here that i've missed in the online world]

I hope you are all well and that you didn't suffer too much without me...
Be Happy!
Much love to all of you!
Zoe.

Hello my dear merry chaps and chapesses,
How are you all today? I hope you are well, it is Friday the 13th today! (No need to fret though, unless you're a Templar knight dude of course...)
I am back at home, my first year at uni is finito, and it went so freaking fast!
Zoom zoom zoom! Yeah, zoom zoom zoom zoom!
Unfortunately though, my internet at home is again all fuffed, so i'm utilising the nearby library. Therefore, sorry if I don't get to comment much on you all etc. I'm moving house in a couple of months though, and should hopefully be able to sort out a decent internet connection there.

Things to do this Holiday -
Get a Job, although this may not happen, I do rather need one, but since my computer at home is dead writing a CV is a bit difficult. I'm going to go into town though and just try speak to people, then if they ask for a CV i'll find a way to write and print one on a friend's computer. I don't mind where I work, so long as it's decent daytime hours, not catering (i'm too clumsy) and they don't mind me only being around for a couple of months. If I can't get a job in Leeds i'll try get one in York next term.
Erm, live, exist, be happy, relax, spend time with friends, spend time with my beloved Kaz, try not to spend too much money, write a story (i'm feeling creative), watch films, read books, play sims. All important life goals.

Which reminds me, Kaz and I have now been going out just over 11 months, we're looking forward to our 'anniversary'. I love him so much, i'm so lucky. In my opinion he is the shiniest dude ever, though I might be biased... Kaz, if you're reading this, *kiss and hug vibes* I love you. Although of course, if you are reading this I may get mildly embarassed for being cheesy, hehehe.

I'm sad though, because one of my best friend's girlfriend broke up with him last night, and it reminds me how fragile things can be and makes me upset for him, poor dude, he's a nice guy and his heart is now all broken.

I really should end this rambling LJ entry with something happy, and so I shall tell you all about -

Zoe's Fascinating Adventures In Scotland!

Or rather, in Greater Cumbrae, a little Scottish island...

It Was Fun. I felt very healthy, cycling around the island, collecting mussels and crabs, digging things up on the beach, testing things, doing marine biology type stuff... So many amusing things happened though that now it comes to writing it down I can't be bothered. One of the highlights though was the 7 seater bike I got to go on randomly, 'cos some friends and I bumped into a guy with it and there were spare spaces so we got a free lift, lol. It was a 'conference bike', insane contraption, 7 seats all facing inwards, everyone peddling, only one person facing forwards and steering. lol.

Ok, i'm done. I'll try update more coherently next time, with more interesting thought processes, though i'm sure I say that everytime...
Love to you all!
Be Happy!
Zoe.

Hello Happy People!
Also, hello to all the not-so-happy people too, I suppose you should all get an extra-special hello in an effort to cheer you up, so H-E-L-L-O to you all.
*cough*
Ok. Well, got back to York on Monday evening. Felt a bit miserable as I always do after watching Mother and Grandad drive away, leaving me here. Tuesday morning was fine though, all back into it etc. Lol.
It's DUCKLING TIME here in York! I've seen ducklings, goslings, cygnets and baby moorhens (I don't know their word). So yeah, all the mother ducks, geese, swans and moorhens must be very proud. I'm so happy, i'm living in cute-land right now. Unfortunately the geese are still just as vocal as ever, waking me up all the time. I saw the cute fluffy goslings today and thought "Awwwwwwwwwww! It's not fair, they're so cute now but they're going to grow up and be really annoying for the next lot of students to live here..."
It's quite amazing, little baby birds. I'm sure I should value the adults as much as the young, but I feel a stronger force making me go "ahhh" and want to watch and play with the younger ones than the older ones. It's like people preferring puppies and kittens to dogs and cats, although personally, I much prefer the older version of the cat. They've had time to develop their personalities from psychotic wide-eyed furball to sophisticated superior little feline queens and kings.
Every stage of life is somehow beautiful, everyone is obsessed with staying young these days, but i'm sure maturity must have its merits.
Aw, I miss my Holly.
Oh yeah, and I did rather well on my exams. Got the results back on wednesday.
Well, love to all.
Be Happy!
Zoe.

Ok people, sorry I haven't been around at all recently, I don't have the internet at home at the moment. Technology hates me... So...don't know when that'll be fixed, i'll try get on when I can to keep up with the world but no promises.
Hope everyone is shiny and well. Send *speedy internet fixy* vibes for me please!
Heh, be happy!
Zoe.