Just so you know, I plan not to be using the Internet for social things any more. It's not because of any of you, don't worry.

If you need me, e-mail me at ejbarnes89@yahoo.co.uk or write to me - address given a while ago. Don't worry, I'll keep in touch, expect letters.

If you don't want to read about what I did in London, all you need to know are these pictures:





( enough of my face )

Yeah, apologies for the rant earlier, just needed to blow steam, so uh. Yeah. I'm okay really, I can live like this, just... things.

Anyway, recently I've been considering my options for next year

1) Do a 4th year in maths and get a Masters degree (£3000+)
2) Do a course on Video Game Design/Development (£5000) whilst having a job
3) Get an actual job

The idea of another year in maths really... yeah. I doubt it'll happen. I'm not sure I can really take another year of studying and not having money going int my account, and going into a further £6000 debt (since I also get about £3000 for living). I always always thought I'd do the forth year. Until I started this year and 1st and 2nd year have not prepared me for this. And next semester will only be worse, I'm taking more classes and doing a project (it's because the credits balance out that way everything this semester is 15 credits, next I'm doing some 10 credit modules).

So yeah.

As for jobs, you know, I would love to get into gaming, but I have no idea HOW without having doing the course on it (it's a course on game design run by a games cooperation, not just, like, by a college). To develope games you need loads of computer skills that I don't have, and to design them, I presume you can't just walk in with a degree in maths and say 'I'm creative! Give me a job!' yeah.

And then the job thing.

The job thing.

What the fuck kind of job. The onlt thing I can think of is... finance... because dammit, I don't have the experience or confidence for like, whatever, management and that, stuff that degrees are usually leading into.

And I dunno, the last thing I want to do is work for a financial company. I would hate that. I couldn't bear it. The idea of companies like that makes me want to be ill. I would rather work in the financial department for a company.

And the this comes full circle, I could work finance in a games company, if they're like, offering any jobs. BUT the problem with finance DEPARTMENTS is they [I don't think] train new people, fresh graduates like I'd be... Bah. I don't know, I guess I could just e-mail a bunch of people.

Oh yeah, and then I don't want to move from Leeds, so really I'm looking for work in Yorkshire. Awww man if I lived in London, that'd be fine... every company has it's HQ (and financial department) in London... But I'd never want to live there because it's a big big city and big big cities don't go to sleep at an hour I'd like them to sleep at.

Stupid ranting, I'l get on with addressing Christmas cards and stuff.

Oh yeah, everyone has something drawn, but most of it is rubbish, I really rushed them, because I'm away this weekend or I'd have spread them out so they weren't all done last weekend. Sorry guys.

Nnn, okay, at the minute, I'm really stuck. Do I get a job next year or do my Master's degree. Keep in mind, if I don't do it next year, I probably never will.

The idea of a job frightens me, but I really actually want to be a useful member of society. And man, doing a maths degree, everyone says can lead you anywhere, but all I'm seeing is FINANCE FINANCE AUDIT FINANCE and I don't want to. I know, it's rare someone like their job, but... And if I was to do that kind of thing I'd NEVER want to be a part of a big financial firm, I'm rather be in the finance department of a company as a whole.

And then here's the other thing. I was told years ago that VIDEO GAME COMPANIES Looove people with Maths as their degree. I'd love to work for a gaming company! I've been looking at local companies, and all the jobs they have going are either in the Art side of things or Require you've done programming on Program X and Program Y. Or the company has gone bust. I'd never EVER want to do art for a job, and I don't want to learn programming, I'm not interested at all. I dunno, maybe if there was a finance department there or something... I've e-mailed a few of them, and only one's got back saying 'Yeah, we went bust in Febuary' - Well why is your website still up!?

Anyway.

( Too much real life, moving onto KH: Days )

Today I have to open a savings account, because my Uncle has transfered a lotof money into my account temporarily, so... I'll put it away so I don't spend it.

Also, from Jan 30-Feb 3 I'll be in Germany, visiting Deborah, who's currently teaching English there. It's well exciting and very sore for my bank balance. For some stupid reason it costs more to fly within the country than it does from London to Germany. The reason I'm flying Leeds-Gatwick, is because I'd have to take like, over 9000 trains to get to Gatwick, and the more trains I get, the more likely it is that I'll miss one or one'll be delayed, and I can't afford that risk. ut now I have to wait at Gatwick airport for hours and hours... oh well. It'll be worth it. I'm meeting Saumon at some stage, so it's well good.

I didn't update solely so I could use this icon, nooo

Okay, hope you all read the post below this one...


Anyway, recently I've had some trouble with the Yorkshire Bank, and it's annoying me, so in LJ it goes.

A while ago: Yorkshire Bank's Machine ate my debit card for no reason at all.
A week or so later: I get my card back and decide to complain to Yorkshire Bank via Internet, because their engineers ought to know that their machines are shit.
A few days after: I get a response requesting my account details even though I am not with Yorkshire Bank and have stated this - ie they have not read the e-mail in any way, shape or form.
Yesterday: I went to the Actual Bank to complain about the machine and the Internet people.

Her response: Well, sometimes the cards machines do have glitches and all I can do is apologise on behalf of our staff.
Me: No, that is not all you can do, can't you at least forward this complaint to the relevant department? Like your engineers or the online guys - because they're not doing their jobs.
Her: *not writing any of it down* I'll let my manager know...
Her: *going away because I know that means 'I'll do fuck all so just go'*

Anyway, even if I was ever considering getting an account with them, not anymore! Ahhh stupid people.

It's been long in the waiting

( Kingdom Hearts II review )

Last night, I was social and went out to the Halloween Party at the boy's. Seeing Jo had work at 10am, we left at 1 or so. It was good fun. No one danced, but it was just... good. I got sleepy, and yeah. My non-drinking came in handy, so that's good I'm useful for something. Oh, I was The King of Hearts, I have no camera... I'm so tired right now, but I didn't wake up all night, which was amazing.

We got KH 1.25 yesterday, joy. I've not finished KHII yet (I'm going into the final boss, and sort of can't be bothered), so yeah.

Okay, I'm just going to tell you some random things that happened yesterday.

1) Ross gave me the Eurovision 2006 CD. And I told him that this year he should have a Eurovision Party. The conversation afterward:

Ross: It'd be so great we could all come dressed as...
Me: Countries?
Ross: YES I'M GOING TO BE GERMANY.
Me: ... good for you. Jo'll make meatballs, she can be Sweden and I'll be... I have no idea.

I don't even know why he decided he wanted to be Germany. There is basically no reason for it. Also, out of all the things Hetalia ruins, it really really ruins Eurovision. Sadface.

2) Just a random thing that happened in Electromagnetism.

James: *about to come and sit beside me, doesn't, let's Ross go in the row first*
Me: Oh, you don't want to sit next me?
James: Well, we were in the library together earlier, Ross hasn't had a chance yet.
Ross: I sat next to her in Transformation Geometry!
Me: Oh thanks, I feel really loved.

Also, Avoding Tom has become a game between all of us. I do it every Tuesday, and always tell James how it happened, and he informs me of other stories. It's a strange pastime of ours.

Uni is... alright. Getting better I think I'm understanding it more, and I'm catching up with my Algebras and Representations homework that I didn't know I had to do.

Also, AQA say I'm not allowed to mark exam papers because you need one year of teaching experience. WHY?! I've completed 2 years of university level mathematics, and you're saying I'm underqualified to look at exam scripts of 14-18 year olds and give out points? Why do I need experience in TEACHING A CLASS? All I wanted was some extra money.

Exciting times! Last night I went to see The Ladyboys of Bangkok perform in Leeds. It was really good fun. It was an All-Male Cabaret-esque show. They performed to well known songs, and sometimes with audience participation, which was great. I'm pretty sure it would have challenged a lot of men's sexualities - they're fantastic women-impersonators. There was a song where one of them changed from a woman back into a man, and it was incredible. They did look very feminine, and then a few minutes later, completely masculine. There was also some incredible gymnastics by the men (I mean, there were me AS men there too) and it was a good night.

Currently deciding whether or not to go to aerobics or not. I've missed a few weeks of it and I'm not actually that good at it, I've not got enough stamina. Maybe I should go to the gym just.