The Best and Worst of everything...

Today I walked 13.3miles (or 21.4km which sounds a little more impressive!) in aid for training for the London2Brighton Challenge. I have to say, it was cloudy, it was windy, and it was bitterly cold. But I rather enjoyed it! This training is really getting me outside and has made me realise how much I can miss by simply passing all day infront of my computer screen (she says...) But honestly I got to exchange pleasantries with some lovely people, said hello to some other rather naughty dogs, and generally got to enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of the countryside (not all pleasant I'll admit).

This week my friends and I decided to take on a huge challenge. We are going to walk 100 kilometres from London all the way down the south of England to the coast at Brighton. That's 3x a marathon, and it's going to hurt!

But the main thing is we're doing this for charity. Last year I found out my next door neighbour had Motor Neurone Disease, and I didn't really know what that meant. MND is what Stephen Hawking has, and he is a miracle.

MND is a progressive disease which attacks the nerves in the brain and spinal cord, so that the messages gradually stop reaching muscles which leads to weakness and wasting, and there is no cure. Unfortunately for my neighbour, he died within a year of being diagnosed. So my sister and I as 2 parts of the team are raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. This is a really great cause; they do work to ensure that the quality of life for those living with the disease is as good as possible. They promote research into the disease and are looking to find a way of ending it once and for all! If this story has hit a nerve, please donate just a little to the cause, it really will help. Thank you :)

It's Valentine's Day! (Had that passed anyone by?) It's very cute for all of the couples out there, I envy you really I do. But WHERE'S MINE? And do you really understand the origins of Valentine's Day? Really it's like celebrating Christmas but not understanding that the reason you're doing so is because of Jesus. Let me take a moment to enlighten...

St. Valentine was a priest who secretly married young couples in his church under an emporer who discouraged this because he felt young men would fight better at war without a wife.

As a result St. Valentine was sentenced to execution consisting of beating, stoning and decapitation. Lovely. Very romantic.

Damnit so that is actually pretty heroic and romantic. Firstly he was doing what he believed to be right and followed his own convictions, and secondly lots of couples got to be married and show their love to one another. Cute. Okay...so maybe the tradition is allowed, but don't you feel better for knowing the real story?!

Today is a day of opportunities...I woke up to a great e-mail titled 'You've got a place at The...' I didn't want to jump the gun, so I tried to stop my heart beating so fast as I waited for it to load. But it was what I hope for...

AN OFFER FOR THE COLLEGE OF LAW!!! 

Things are changing in the life of the drop out!

Yesterday I had an interview for a grad scheme. I'd heard fairly horrible things about grad schemes in general...only one person of thousands get the job, and they can be really picky and choose the best because they are only university students that apply in the first place.

Turns out the interview wasn't all that bad after all. In fact, I could even describe it as 'enjoyable'?! Perhaps that's going a little far...still it really wasn't too bad. Questions included examples of me using leadership skills, what kind of leader would I be, a time that I've been a self-starter etc. etc. Fairly standard, and one thing I can be relied to talk about...is myself! No questions about the company at all. Only 12 people get through to the next round though, and he emphasised that it's only the very best that go through, so I shall expect nothing. Good news this morning though! I got accepted to study law this September in Bristol!!! YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! I am thrilled! If I got offered the job too, well...we'll see. But I'll wait for the situation to arise, I don't think it will somehow.

As an ex-politics student, gotta say I've got a few opinions. And it's your lucky day because I'm about to enlighten you...

Same-sex marriage. Why on earth should politicians decide on whether the church should have to allow gay marriage in their churches? Should the church not decide? And gay people are involved in the church. They should all have a say.

Right so an entire debate between everybody who calls themselves Christian is obviously ridiculous. But should not the debate come between Christian homosexuals, and non-Christian homosexuals. Or more appropriately, between Christians in favour of homosexual marriage and Christians not in favour of homosexual marriage involving both parties. The fact that politicians have control of the church is surely absurd. The church ought to decide, otherwise they are not an entire entity in control of their own establishment. It's like telling a homeowner they are no longer allowed to paint their house pink. What's it got to do with you?! 

Oh who knows, we will see how this one turns out. But I think it's a dangerous thing for politcians to be taking control of, and I suspect they will end up becoming highly divided along religious lines, much more like the Democrats and Republicans in America.

Something I've said yes to today...an application for the Royal Mail! Rather random, but it came through the post and I thought 'why not?' I'm all about saying yes to opportunities. Rather off the beaten track of the solicitor, but I'm still going with that. It seems even work experience for law is hard to come by, so I'm hoping to rely on some good old nepotism to follow that through. I'm beginning to feel that I've applied for thousands of jobs, internships etc and I haven't even heard back...from any of them. Not even a no. But it's all about keeping a positive spirit isn't it?!

My new direction for the day? How does solicitor sound?  Perhaps tomorrow I'll decide I want to be a bin woman, but for today...it's a solicitor. And actually I think I could be pretty damn good. I love learning, I love the idea that our constitution is made from a bunch of random rules and traditions that we've built up over the years. And I love that you get so much variety from land disputes to deciding with whom the children should be left after a divorce.

So...here goes nothing. An application form for one of the best law schools in the country, well, why not!

Well, I've been trying to think about what I could write about on here today. It's snowing outside (so cliche), I went to see a wonderful film last night (been done).  But to be honest, I was out in London the other day and I visited the toilet of a rather expensive and famous department store opposite the Royal Academy of Arts.  And my thoughts as I entered the bathroom were; this wouldn't go in my top 10 toilet experiences. 

It got me to thinking...(cue wavy patterns across my face and music) what are my top 10 toilet experiences? 

So, in general, I think I'm a bit of a grump. And this just might have to be something I have to change in 2013. Not knowing what you're going to do with the rest of your life...is pretty scary. But I'm going to use this blog to show just how many times I can say 'Yes' to things. And we'll have to see what happens...

Unfortunately, today I've said yes to going into work. On my day off. I'm a waitress. Oh god. No, hang on...I'm not going to be a grump about this.

Silver linings...I will earn more pennies, I get to see the wonderful people I work with, you never know who I could meet...(?!) I'm struggling. But the much more exciting thing about today is I'm going to apply for an internship in NEW YORK. And that's just pretty bloody exciting!! It's beautiful outside and the opportunities are coming, I've just to take them.