Meh.

[raven]

Urgh. Urgh, urgh and urgh. Totally fucking miserable at present. Have just had driving lesson from seventh level of hell; apparently, I am mechanically inept. Well, yes, I knew this. I am, for reference, incapable of walking, crawling, swimming, riding (one would think the horse's will would override mine) or driving in a straight line. I hate being so intrinsically bad at it, particularly as everyone of my acquaintance has a) passed months ago, b) passed a month ago, or c) so naturally brilliant and not ridiculous at all that their passing their test is a big fat moot point.

Still stuck at home being productive and disliking the whole being-me aspect of being me. I decided today to try and revise Biology module five, which is called "Environment" but generally referred to as "Ecology" or "that fucking stuff we did in fucking Wales". Almost nine months after Rhyd-y-creuau, the ghosts still haunt us all. Rice-Oxley is a behavioural ecologist and our mangling of her speciality causes her physical pain. Perhaps because of this, she has set a mock module on Monday and gone either on DofE or the first-year geography trip to Frodsham for the rest of the week.

Other, entirely spurious, things are pissing me off. For example, I hate wanting to know something about a new fandom and looking at the crack_van overview only to find the writer is one of those people all about teh snark (!11!1) and whose attempts at humour and random parentheses and bits that are struck out manage to both entirely mystify people who came there to actually learn about it and convey the writer's thorough disdain for what is supposed to be their fandom.

Also, I want a new default icon, and am once again thoroughly amazed at the level of wankiness that goes into icon-making on LJ. Comment and credit is one thing. Do not alter do not nominate do not fucking breathe cuz your not KEWL OMG!!111! is quite another. I'm pretty sure I saw an icon-maker the other day who credited her own icons. Each and every one of them, despite the fact they all looked the same (quite aside from the sheer wankery, of course), and why do all the icons on LJ look the same anyway? Take one uber-poignant base, maybe a close up on someone's eyes or on two people holding their heads close together, partly desaturate, make grainy, add a few dozen gradients, a blurry sort of brush, some Evanescence lyrics in a font that's too small to read and presto.

Rant, rant, rant. Anyway. The one pretty thing on the horizon at the moment - beyond the end of exams, which seems to be the only time ever I'll get to see Hannah or any of my friends again - is a Chemistry field trip. At the beginning of AS, Fidan decided we should go on a field trip to Cadbury World, seeing as every other subject seems to get field trips and we don't get any. The gestalt entity ColvinandMiller seemed to be in agreement; the difficulty was explaining the relevance of the trip to the actual subject of Chemistry. However, two years on, it seems Fidan has finally talked everyone round and we're going sometime soon.

I'm very bored.

[Also: I have read, and very much appreciated, every comment on my last post. Thank you all very much.]

Comments

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

For what it's worth, I am one of the worst drivers anyone has ever seen, and back when I was taking driving lessons, the instructors used to actually laugh at me. Often. It was horrible. So... you're not alone, at least? I forget why this was supposed to be comforting.

I read your previous entry, too, but couldn't think of a single constructive thing to say--I think other people mostly covered it. I'm sorry you've been put in a position where you have to second-guess yourself this way.

Cadbury World, incidentally, sounds like the best field-trip destination in the history of the world.

[eternalwings.livejournal.com]

YEAH IT'S THE LAND OF CHOCOLATE!
Incidentally I make icons. for myself. I do not ask for credit.
Does that make moi okay?

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

*laughs* Did you actually pass, in the end?

[My father wins at this. The first time he took his test, the examiner had a heart attack! He drove him to the hospital... and still failed.]

It is the best trip ever, yes. They give out enormous quantities of free samples. I'll send you another package!

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

Er... I never took the test. We had some problems getting my lessons approved, because several weeks later the county shut down my driving school-- because it wasn't accredited.* Even unaccredited driving instructors laugh at my ineptitude.

(Oh, wow. Your dad does win.)

Eee! But I haven't given you anything in return yet. I still owe you!


*It's really not all that surprising that it wasn't accredited. I actually had the following exchange with my instructor once, while I was driving down a dark country road.
HIM: There are a lot of deer around here. Now, what would you do if a deer jumped out in front of you on the road right now?
ME [already tense, not finding this idea particularly comforting]: ...Hit the brakes.
HIM: No! Then the cars behind you would hit you and you would die! Try again.
ME [white-knuckle grip on the wheel now]: ...Try to swerve?
HIM: NO! Then you would hit a tree and you would die!
ME: OhmyGodpleasestop.
HIM: Try again.
ME: ...
HIM: YOU STEP ON THE GAS AND YOU RUN RIGHT THROUGH IT! YOU RUN RIGHT THROUGH IT!

[the-acrobat.livejournal.com]

CADBURY WORLD!
I now officially want to go to England more than just about anything. If my parents were rich, I would persuade them to give me a graduation trip to England just to go to Cadbury World. How did I not know that there was such a thing?

As for driving, I learned to drive about four years after everyone else my age, and my driving instructor called me "grandma" because I was so cautious and paranoid. I don't know if I'm a bad driver, but I have backed into 1: my dad's volkswagen 2: a planter and I am known for running up kerbs.

I did want to say one thing re: your last entry that I don't think anyone else covered. In relation to Pedar's comments, it is my humble opinion that you would probably be just as distracted from you A-levels had you just fallen in love with a MAN. That's love.

ps. You rock!

In which you rock. You really do.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

It is a well-kept secret. I will send you a postcard.

I am so glad to hear all these stories of people suffering while driving. I just feel less inadequate.

I hadn't really thought of that, and I'm glad you reminded me. Of course, I would have. I don't know why I didn't see it.

[apestaartje.livejournal.com]

When I first started taking driving lessons I couldn't drive for anything. The car kept stopping for no reason and then I couldn't start it. It was very annoying especially when I was on a busy road with all the cars behind me. I had to take the practical exam 4 times before I passed. I passed in january 2002 and I haven't driven since. I've probably forgotten everything.

I totally agree with the whole icon credit/comment/don't change anything thing. I never comment on the icon communties and I never credit. I only credit when it's made by someone on my friendspage.

Oooh, chocolate! lol

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

See, that's what I plan to do. Take test, pass, and never drive again. Sorted!

You naughty girl, you. :)

[sexy-saba.livejournal.com]

On a totally random note your icon still makes me really horny >.<
*hugsyouinmymind*

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear it!

[amchau.livejournal.com]

I have yet to take any driving lessons, but I'm firmly convinced that when I do it'll be a complete and utter failure. Not that that helps you.

There is very much wank in world, and for some reasons puddles of it form on lj. I say pfff (fubbly lips noise; why is the English alphabet so pathetic for transcribing?) to them.

Have fun at Cadbury World. As I don't like chocolate, I hereby give you permission to eat and enjoy my share of the world's chocolate resources.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

*g* Oh, but it does. It makes me feel less inadequate.

I will happily take your share of plain milk chocolate share. All the rest of it is still up for grabs!

[amchau.livejournal.com]

Ha! I am more inadequate that you!

Well, my brother will eat your share of any kind of chocolate that's going, if you're sure you don't want it...

[bekkypk.livejournal.com]

I chocked on my icecream when I read the bit about "fucking stuff we did in fucking wales" <--we did it too! XD
Also yes, you should go to cadbury world,it rules. Though unlike when i first went in the early 90s, they no longer give out free samples...
xx

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Aww, gutted. No free samples!

Can I ask you a favour, while you're here? Would you be up to betaing a short snippet of Doctor Who fic?

[bekkypk.livejournal.com]

I'll do what I can, though I may, if it'sa okay, run it by the boi, he's got a better head for the Drs personalities then I have (I ask him for help with mine all the time)
xx