It turns out that the NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) are paying my tuition fees next year and giving me a grant big enough to allow me to both investigate 9"-high tapered platform boots (the worst thing about this desire is because it stems from a dream I had about them, before I knew they were the, ahem, height of gothic fashion) cover living expenses and pay the rent. Ahhhh, it feels so good to be about to become financially independent at long last! I can buy stupid bumph without guilt over my parents paying my rent and tuition fees! Hooray!
I also now have a room in York. It's cheaper than I'd been antici-pating, has an ensuite bathroom (since I'm sharing a "flat" with five people, this will be most useful; although I shared a corridor with six in my first year at UKC, I was rarely in my room between 10pm and noon, so it posed no problem), and it's in the postgraduate-only hall of residence, which will probably mean a lower quotient of being kept awake at night by drunken people going "ARRRR!" and fire alarms than if I was in a "mixed" hall.
Unfortunately, term starts a week later than I was led to believe. I'm going to Canterbury on 21st to stay with Ibid and since I've already bought my train ticket, I can't stay there any longer than planned. Plus, I have a seven-hour-slot in which I'm permitted to move in. A seven-hour-slot when my parents will be in Sweden and my brother at university. I'll have to get the train, bringing the bare essentials with me, and my parents can bring the rest of my stuff two days later. The crazy thing is, I can't even get to the nearest station with the bare essentials, because it's about two footpathless miles away; I'll have to get a lift there.
I have not done anything except play The Sims (I bought Hot Date in the end, but I think I'm over it now. Really) and read books about shipwrecks since I last wrote. (I cannot recommend "The Life Of Pi" more strongly.)
Monday 8 September 2003
Ah, even better. Despite the fact that I can't move into my room in York until 4th October, it turns out my course starts on 29th September. Therefore, I'll have to rent a different room for a week. To make matters more fun, I have to move out of said room by 9.30 on 4th, but can't move into actual room until 11, so the only possessions I'll be able to have with me for a week are some I can carry in one load.
Foreign students can hire bedding for a week. Can I? Oh no . . .
And, despite making absolutely certain to send York my booking fee, they claim not to have received it. I sent them another cheque, but since I suspect this to be a clerical error on their part, this probably means I'm going to end up paying someone else's booking fee and landing beyond my overdraft limit through no fault of my own. (Well, I wouldn't be if I didn't spend so much money, but, you know!) They might have sent me an e-mail realising this was a mistake - but! My e-mail account appears to be not functioning properly! After 72 hours off the net, I only received four e-mails, including only one of my daily "visit The Hunger Site!" reminder messages.
Even better, despite me telling Bryn that I'd be dahn saath between 21st and 26th September, he's booked himself a holiday in France between exactly these days.
Tuesday 9 September 2003
Ack! Ze money eesa sleepping through my feengers like sand!
I have just spent:
- $26 US (I think) renewing verbalvoodoo.org for another year.
- £82.71 on the essential textbooks for next year and a map of York
I am about to spend:
- More money on Soppygit's birthday present
- More money on Twi's birthday present
- More money on a recorded delivery
I did earn £15 this morning, but this doesn't *quite* balance the expenditure. Still, am in good mood as the work involved USING FOX PRO!!! You see, a few years ago, when I worked for a computer company, I had to print course notes for a short course in using Fox Pro every now and again. But did I ever get to use Fox Pro? No, and I was always wondering what it was. But now, another lifelong dream has been fulfilled! And it was a rather funchie program too! O yoj!
My Dad spent the morning trying to contact charities helping landmine victims, since he has started renting a warehouse whose previous owners left five hundred unwanted mismatched walking boots in it.
