Reports, Tears & Monsters

This post was actually written a week ago, but due to my internet weebles being awkward it has been delayed till today.

I have had an action packed few days or so. Well, when I say action packed, I just mean I've done some stuff....

On Friday, it was a big day for me in school as it was time for my mentor to write his report about how I've done on my school placement. I didn't have any massive worries going into the review meeting, but still, there is something slightly unnerving about having someone write your review in front of you. Anyhoo, I had nothing to worry about and my mentor wrote lots of nice things about how I've done. Just got the small matter of a 10,000 word essay to crack on with now.....

Springtime for..... Peter Kay

I went to see the Producers in Manchester Friday night. Now, I am not generally a fan of musicals (no scrap that, I despise musicals normally - if it was made a capital offence to watch, sing or in any way refer to Grease, I would rejoice...), but I tentatively dipped my toes into the heady brew that is the Producers.

Well, I loved it. It was gloriously tasteless, hysterically funny and a great way to spend an evening. The Springtime for Hitler number was so gut-wrenchingly funny that I could barely see the stage through tears of laughter and I was having trouble actually breathing.

I was also terribly excited in a very nerdy way on Saturday as Nat and I went to see the Dr Who Up Close exhibition at the Manchester Science & Industry Museum. I really enjoyed it and I don't care if you think I'm a nerd. Here is a picture of Nat being bemused at a Slytheen in the gloom.Now I have never fallen into the trap of thinking that Daleks are scary. As cool as they are, they were only ever glorified pepperpots. However, having seen one in the flesh (or the tin if you wish), there is something slightly unnerving at coming face to face with one.

The Dalek is actually 'live' but I didn't know this when I came face to face with it. So there I was taking a picture of it with my lamentably poor camera phone, when it erupts to life. It's eyestalk swivelled to look directly at me and it proceeed to screech "You are an enemy of the daleks! Exterminate!" at the top of its lungs (ahem). Suffice to say it made me jump...

Nat finally left our shores and returned to the US this week. My housemates & I will miss her calming presence in the house. I hope she finds what she's looking for on her return to Atlanta.

Movies
Kingdom of Heaven Extended Version ****
Brotherhoof of the Wolf ****
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy ****
28 Days Later *****
Solaris *****
V for Vendetta ****
Dr Who Season 1 *****
The more I see of David Tennant as Dr Who, the more I come to realise that as good as he is, Christopher Eccleston in Season 1 was way way better.
The Producers (Theatre) *****
Highlander ***
Hilariously bad and brilliant fun! It has a French Canadian as the Highlander with a dreadful scottish accent and a Scot (Sean Connery)as a dandyish Spaniard(?) with a scottish accent

Where's the finish line....

I am having a very confusing few days..... I have been mulling various things over in the mental equivalent of a vat of mulled wine gently warming on the hob at Christmas. *

In the early parts of the week I spent 3 days at school when every lesson I taught was a struggle, and then on Thursday after a day in university I felt so dispirited that I was seriously considering not carrying on into teaching after PGCE. The last few weeks have just been a constant tiring slog and my frame of mind has not been massively positive. However, on Friday after a couple of good lessons and a good chat with my school mentor, I felt much better.

However, as I approach the final straight, I have to start making decisons. Where do I look for jobs? I love Manchester and really want to stay, but at the same time I realise I may have to look further afield for a good job.

I have other decisions to make as well and I'm feeling rather confused about them too, but I won't bore you with those...

Movies

The Illusionist ****

Having seen both the Prestige & The Illusionist (both period stage magician movies) fairly recently, it was interesting to compare the two. I think that the Illusionist benefits from having one man (Edward Norton) as the main focus, as well as a superb turn from Paul Giamatti as Chief Inspector Uhl. Rufus Sewell chews the scenery very effectively as the movie's villain and the whole thing moves at a admirably stately pace.

The Prestige on the other hand was fascinating and looked just as good as Christopher Nolan's movies always do. Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman were both excellent as the key protagonists and Michael Caine turned in a very dignified performance. However, the only problem for me was that the 'twist' was telegraphed extremely early in the film and by the time the film got to its third act (or Prestige if you will), there was no surprise when the 'secret' was revealed.

Anyway, I watched the Illusionist in great luxury last night, as on the spur of the moment myself and the friend I was with decided to watch it in something called the Gallery at the Printworks in the city centre. It was a very agreeably grown up way to watch a film in a very agreeable evening

*You know, that is a terrible simile. More so because I hate mulled wine...

Two things that make me happy.

Two things have happened that have contributed to me feeling rather cheerful this week.

Firstly, I have started my second PGCE school placement which has been great. It is a very different school to my previous placement, and I have some classes that I'm sure will turn out to be 'interesting'. However, I am just glad to be back in school after a month in university. Teaching makes me happy...

Secondly....

It snowed on my way to school this morning! I love snow. This was taken this morning, unfortunately due to the rubbishness of my camera phone, you can't see how much snow was coming down, but trust me it was lots! I actually got off my bus 2 stops early so I would have further to walk in the snow. I've always liked walking while snow is falling, it makes me feel very very alive.

It was wonderful, all the other people who walked past me must have thought I was mad as they were all hunched up against the snow and wind and I was walking through it with a big silly grin on my face. Snow makes me happy...

Movies:
Kingdom of Heaven: Director's Cut ****
Come & See *****
The Machinist ****

Inspiring!

I want to teach at pirate school!!
We had a very inspiring guest lecturer on our PGCE course today.

Last week we had to hand in the most boring essay in the world on Language and Diversity and I know that personally I felt a little bogged down in the bureaucracy and hoop-jumping element of training to be a teacher. In some ways these things are necessary, but not really that inspirational, so it was very encouraging to hear someone talk practically, but also passionately about teaching. I think our regular tutor has a bit of a raw deal having to teach us about how to mark A Level papers, various syllabi (is that even a word?) and a myriad other vital but hardly thrilling topics. Anyhoo....

How about some quiz answers?

For the two people who are waiting with bated keyboard fingers for these:

General Knowledge Round

1) Matthew Hoggard 2) George Galloway 3) Gobi Desert 4) Dante's Divine Comedy 5) Torchwood 6) Vicar of Dibley 7) Indiana Jones 4 8) Queen 9) this story 10) Heathrow Airport

Dan's Music Round

1) Aida & Verdi 2) 42million, Over 250, 6, Organ Pipe 3) A Moment Like This by Leona 4) A Day in the Life, Help!, Hey Jude, I Want to Hold Your Hand, Norwegian Wood, Strawberry Fields, Yesterday 5) Englebert Humperdinck 6) Raymond Quinn, 7) Crazy by Gnarls Barkley 8) Guitar, Violin, Cello 9) Platoon, Clockwork Orange, 2001, Top Gun 10) Any two of these.

Well done to Sarah who was the only one brave enough to post her answers!

Edited following harsh grammatical criticism from Fat Roland