If life were a bowl of cherries...

Ok. Here is the other "half" of the story... this has taken me 2 hours. I did not do this set of notes from memory (the first bit on the Menstural Cycle was). It is 3 pages long in MSWord and I don't expect anyone to read it properly. I am just rather proud of it as it is the most work I've done in biology in 18 months!

It is also a good retort to any idiot male who complains he can't understand women -  of course he can't! It is written into our bloody physiology!!!!!!!!

I'm not kidding when I say anyone would think we weren't meant to reproduce. 

Hormones are in bold, couldn't be bothered to put scientific words into italics, instead *my* comments are initalics.

Oogenisis – the female side

Ok. So here is the complicated one… *breathes deeply*… and begins.

Once again the hypothalamus has overall control over this process – being the link between the nervous and chemical systems in the body, that sort of makes sense. Once again GnRH is released and travels the short distance to the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland. Again two hormones are released: LH (Lutenising Hormone (=ISCH)) and FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone).

Right now things begin to alter slightly. The female process of oogenisis (generation of the egg cell) is not continuous but cyclical and begins before birth. As the ovaries develop in the female embryo, meiosis one begins in the germinal epithelial layer and is halted in prophase one. The ovaries also produce follicle cells which surround the oogonia to form primary follicles.

Basically the soon-to-be-egg cells begin to divide and at frozen part way through the process with the DNA condensed into chromosomes and grouped into homologous (same-sized) pairs. The cells are then surrounded by a layer of other, smaller cells.

Meiosis one is halted at birth and the process cannot resume until puberty occurs and the menstrual cycle begins. (JOY!) This cycle varies between females, but for ease of communication the cycle is “averaged” out over 28 days.

OK, back to Biology. FSH is released from the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland and travels in the blood to the ovaries where it stimulates the continuation of meiosis one. The layers of surrounding cells builds up and a theca layer developes (from the tissue of the ovary) to create a primary oocyte within a primary follicle. The theca layer secretes oestrogen which has a number of functions including:

•    Promotes secondary sexual characteristics in females
•    Inhibits FSH production to prevent the development of a second oogonia.
•    Builds up and prepares the endometrial layer (blood layer) in the uterus

The first meiotic split is completed and one of the haploid cells degenerates into a polar body that has no known purpose. The follicle continues to mature into a Graafian Follicle and oestrogen levels continue to rise. At day 14 of the cycle the oestrogen levels peak and (once over a threshold level) stimulate (not inhibit) the release of FSH and LH.

The production of a Graafian Follicle occurs moving in towards the centre of the ovary; LH stimulates the eruption of the primary oocyte out from the ovary into the oviduct (Fallopian Tube). This can apparently cause a little bleeding as the oocyte is the largest cell in a human body and some women claim to be able to feel the release occurring.)

Here the story splits into two:

The remainder of the Graafian Follicle develops into a Corpus Luteum (or Yellow Body) that produces progesterone (and oestrogen). Progesterone helps to maintain the endometrial layer and also inhibits FSH and LH so no new oogonia are developed.

The primary oocyte travels along the oviduct to the uterus and can survive only a couple of days, without fertilisation, before it degenerates. And then the story splits again….

If fertilisation does not occur, then the primary oocyte dies and shortly afterwards the corpus luteum degenerates. Progesterone and Oestrogen levels fall again and FSH and LH are no longer inhibited. FSH levels rise and stimulate the development of another oogonia and primary follicle to mature to a Graafian Follicle. The endometrial layer decomposes and menstruation occurs.

On The Other Hand…

Long lines of mucus in the uterus provide lines for sperm to swim easily along and guide their travel to the oviducts. The contraction of the uterus (presumably through oxytocin release) also aids this movement. If a sperm meets the primary oocyte, the acrosome layer breaks through the wall of the primary oocyte and stimulates the second division – meiosis two – to create a secondary oocyte. The secondary polar body produced here is again redundant material. The wall of the ovum becomes impermeable to other sperm to prevent double fertilization. The genetic material from the single sperm cell is incorporated into the DNA of the secondary oocyte to form an ovum.

Interesting… sperm are 50um long whilst a secondary oocyte is 140um in diameter! (that is visible to some people!)…. Just visualise it!

This ovum travels down the oviduct to the uterus and (hopefully) imbeds in the endometrial layer. The cell releases hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) that prevents the degeneration of the corpus luteum for roughly 12 weeks until the placenta is fully developed. After 12 weeks the placenta takes over the role of producing oestrogen and progesterone that maintain the endometrial layer and prevent the development of another oocyte by inhibiting FSH and LH. Progesterone also relaxes the muscles in the uterus wall to prevent damage to the foetus and potential miscarriage.

Back to placenta: the embryo developing a Chorion layer that protrudes into the uterus wall and forms finger-like protrusions called Choronic villi that have microvilli on the external side of the epithelial cell (outside) layer. Inside these villi a network of blood vessels bring the foetal blood close to the mother’s blood supply in the endometrial layer, so that diffusion can occur – note the two blood supplies never mix.

The foetal heart pumps (faster than the mother) deoxygenated blood out along the umbilical arteries. Gas exchange and exchange of nutrients / hormones / antibodies / urea occurs and fresh blood is transported back to the developing foetus along umbilical veins. HPL (Human Placental Lactogen) is involved in the development of breasts during pregnancy and adjusts the mother’s glucose and fat respiration to the advantage of the foetus. Most bacteria cannot cross the placental barrier but viruses such as Rubella and HIV can.

The foetus develops surrounded by a protective amniotic sac containing amniotic fluid. After roughly 38 weeks the level of progesterone decreases rapidly whilst the level of oestrogen increases. This makes the uterus more susceptible to oxytocin which is a neurotransmitter / hormone produced by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland. This causes the uterus to contract and the cervix begins to dilate (over a time period of up to 12 hours). A mucus plug that has blocked the cervix during pregnancy detaches and passes out through the vagina and the amniotic sac bursts. Hopefully the foetus has had the sense (and kindness) to rotate around so they can leave the uterus headfirst! (The opposite is a breach-birth and is even more painful!) A rare example of positive feedback: the high levels of oxytocin in the blood during labour, stimulates the release of more oxytocin. The rate of contractions increases steadily and when the cervix has dilated to 10cm diameter then head “engages” and the baby begins to emerge.

(I am slightly confused here: the baby’s skull is not yet fused together… so how does pushing it repeatedly very hard against the cervix and the pelvis not cause damage??)

Once the baby is in air they (We NEED a better gender-neutral pronoun!) begins to breathe and the umbilical cord is cut and tied off. Final contractions of the uterus cause the placental structures to detach from the endometrial layer and pass out of the vagina. Over the following weeks the (deciduous) endometrial layer decomposes and is also lost as progesterone and oestrogen levels fall again.

The final part of the female reproductive cycle is lactation. During pregnancy the presence of HPL (Human Placental Lactogen) allows oestrogen to stimulate the development of the duct systems in the breasts and progesterone to stimulate the development of milk glands. The high levels of progesterone and oestrogen also inhibit the production of prolactin.

After birth, as progesterone and oestrogen levels fall PRF (Prolactin Releasing Factor) is released from the hypothalamus and stimulates the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland to produce prolactin that is responsible for the production of milk. The milk contains lactose (glucose + galactose) along with fat, minerals, vitamins that are easy to digest. There is also a selection of the mother’s antibodies and viruses such as HIV (if she is positive). The suckling action of the baby stimulates nerves in the nipples that send messages to the hypothalamus to release PRF and to the posterior pituitary gland to produce oxytocin. Oxytocin causes the involuntary muscles around the milk glands to contract to force milk through the ducts and out through the nipple. PRF also causes the release of prolactin so the production of milk is maintained.

This process obviously only occurs when the baby is suckling.

OK... so whoever designed the human reproductive system was HIGH! Seriously.... let me give you a brief lesson. Hormones are in bold, other scientific words that I need to learn to spell (and that you might not know) are in italics.

Spermatogenisis (the male side)

The hypothalamus (in the brain) releases GnRH (Gonadatrophic Releasing Hormone - Gonads being the sex organs). This travels the short distance south to the Anterior Pituitary Gland. The Anterior Lobe of the Pituitary Gland is stimulated to produce FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) and ISCH (Intersticial Cell Stimulating Hormone - female equivilent is LH). These hormones then travel the long distances through many blood vessels to the testicles.

Now we need some anatomy. The testis is compised of seminiferous tubules (that make sperm) and then cells that make up the tissue between the tubules such as blood vessels and other intersticial cells. ISCH stimulates the intersticial cells to produce testosterone. Testosterone has several functions. The one you will all know is stiumlating the onset of secondary sexual characteristics in prepubescent males (poor things). Testosterone also stiumlate sertoli cells and inhibits the production of GnRH (more on that later).

Back to the seminiferous tubules. The walls of these tubules are comprised of highly specialised sertoli cells that govern the process of spermatogenisis. The outer cell layer of these tubules is a germinal epithelial layer - a source of unspecialised cells that can be transformed into sperm. These cells undergo meiosis, splitting twice to form 4 haploid cells - half the number of chromosomes. The first meiotic split halves the DNA content of the cell and create two haploid gametes (primary spermatocytes), the second split is just a staightforward cloning (as in mitosis) to produce the 4 haploid secondary spermatocytes.

The sertoli cell then governs the specification of these into spermatids and the sperm. This process involves the creation of a long flagellum (tail), production of many mitochondria in the middle piece to fuel the movement of the sperm, the digestion of the cell cytoplasm to reduce bulk and the production of an acrosome layer on the head of the spem which contains enzymes to break through the wall of the developed ovule (technically secondary oocyte).

The process of spermatogenis occurs from the external wall of the seminiferous tubule (the germinal epithelium) inwards towards the lumen (empty space of the tubule) in the centre. In effect average/normal cells go in on the outside and then fully fledged sperm are collected in seminiferous tubules as part of a continuous cycle.

This cycle is regulated by the inhibiting effects of testosterone and the inhibin produced as a by product of the action of sertoli cells. These two hormones stimulate the hypothalamus into *not* producing GnRH and therefore the Anterior Lobe of the Pituitary Gland is not stiumlated to produce ISCH and FSH. Consequently the rate of spermatogensis falls. Once the levels of inhibin and testosterone fall again then the is less (indirect) inhibition of ISCH and FSH and the rate of spermatogenisis rises. This is an example of the negative feedback of certain products (or by-products) of a reaction to maintain homeostasis.

Ok. So we have our sperm. The sperm produced and collected in the seminiferous tubules pass into small ducts called the vasa efferentia and then into the epididymis where they can be stored for up to 18 hours. Prior to ejaculation the sperm are moved the vas deferens (a muscular tube), the seminal vesicle releases mucus whilst the ejaculatory glands release an alkali solution to neutralise vaginal acids (Prostate Gland) and a solution of sugars to provide energy for the sperm on their travels (Coweper's Gland). This is mixture has now formed semen which will be released from the urethra by ejaculation.

Ejaculation is stimulated by increased supply of blood to the spongy tissue in the penis causing it to swell and harden and stiumlating the contaction of errectile tissue. Physical contact stimulates the glans penis which causes the muscles along the ejaculatory tract (the epididymis to the urethra) to contract moving the sperm/semen through the tract via peristalsis and finally the contraction of the urethra results in ejaculation.

Inside the femal the force of ejaculation propels *some* sperm into the uterus (/top of the vagina). In three days the sperm will have "swum" to the oviduct. Out of 500 million sperm only a few hundred reach the oocyte. Only one can ever fertilise.

It is interesting to note that there are also hormones in semen that stimulate muscular contraction of the uterus/oviducts to help the sperm reach the oocyte and improve the probability of fertilisation. There are only 5 million sperm in 5cm^3 of semen. The testies hang outside the body because the reactions involved occur at an optimum temperature of 35 degrees celcius.

WOW hasn't that taken the fun out of it!

And if you think that that might be a little complicated... sometime I might try to explain the female system which is approximately 4.7 times worse.

Anyone would think the intention of the entire process was failure... it certainally causes a significant stumbling block for most A Level students - And this really is the easy one.

I have decided this is a good way to revise. :P

xXx 

1. I like the Anglican Communion service.

Wonderful as it is to o things differently, much as I truly love the original and art / meditation / "free" services... there is something reassuring about tradration. It is not something to be relied upon, or taken as absolute. But sometimes you just need the familiarity of words you have said since birth - a little like sometimes you need to read a book you've read 100 times before, or listen to a song you know by heart, or sit on your favourite bench and pass the time of day. Today was one of those days I needed to feel at home... unfortunately I go to a Methodist School... so they messed all the words up anyway. But it was good to have communion again, it's been a while.

2. I miss labwork

The thing is that despite finding classroom science intrinsically dull, I really very much enjoyed lab work. And I was good at it. I still am if today's basic transformation is anything to go by. Although I DETEST the BioRad "School's Protocols" - It takes them 2 sides of A4 to say what I can sum up in 28 words! But I miss the level of concentration and organisation and dexterity that is needed foreven the most basic experiments. I really *must* go back to it sometime.

3. It's strange what makes you forgive people.

Many of you know that my Music teacher and I have not been on the best of terms lately. I have been failing to make his life easy from him and he has been making me cry (or hit things).... Deadlines, panic but mostly pride contributed to both side's rather rigid perspective. Yesterday evening my teacher was taking his dog for a walk. And his dog (who is very old, smelly and completely deaf) decided he had better ideas. Said dog chose to, instead of lagging 4 or 5 metres behind as per normal, run rings around his owner. So I had the delight of seeing my teachers (suit and all) flailing wildly, spinning on the spot, grabing handfuls of air as he struggled (for a good minute) to catch this semi-decrepid canine. It made me laugh. 

It also made me remember that everyone has their days when nothing goes right. And that when multiple people have those days (or weeks) simultaneously then the results are not proportional, they are exponential.

It made me forgive him

4. Sun is glorious, but rain is still soothing.

I went to sleep last night with the sound of the rain pouring off the guttering dumming it's own rhythm in my ears. Normally all I hear is the hiss of the heating and the infrequent mumblings of the lives of those around me as they too prepare for the night. The rain is something else. I'm not sure how much of it was the steady rhythm, how much the idea of washing everything that was "yesterday" away and how much of it was the anticipation of tomorrows rich green and lush scents, but the sound calmed me.

Which is impressive as I was quite restless last night.

5. I like, liking going home.

It's been a long time sicne I've wanted to go home. A long time since that has been a destination of choice as opposed to duty (there are obvious exceptions to this, but I am speaking from a general point of view). I really quite love the fact that home is becoming something to look forward to. It is a surreal sensation. ... However difficult things get blood runs thickly in my family - maybe that is where a lot of the problems stem from... I don't know.

I'm just enjoying the change in my perspective, refreshing... and comforting.

xXx 

1.    Only in the movies?

Please note that all circumstances have been changed in this story to save embarrassment… The punch-line is still the same.

A long day at the office – they all are really aren’t they? This particular day had been shorter than most as the final hour or so had involved a “brief” visit to the Technical Advisory Body (TAB in boss-speak). The actual issue – setting up the PR system for a presentation next Thursday – had taken all of 6 minutes and the rest of the time had been spent in genial conversation and mild banter.

“Yes, well… you know how it goes…. She seems to be managing fine, not too embarrassed – well at least she doesn’t blush much when I see her…” Luke Briar’s (known by his surname for some reason that had been long-since forgotten) voice drifted through the haze of Rhi’s coffee and landed softly in the depths of her consciousness.

Curiosity piqued her interjection was more than a little blunt (or to the point as I’m sure she would rather have it described), “Who? What? Why? When?”

Ok, maybe blunt would be the best description. The questions were rebuked harshly with an emphatic insistence that the person in question would not their “situation” to be broadcast across the entire company. This was followed rapidly by a selection of retorts, the most convincing of which seemed to insist that Rhi should be told as well as Sam because she was trustworthy and he wasn’t. At this Sam objected vehemently – notably not to the accusation of his indiscretion.

The time passed and various tactics were used in attempts to obtain the information. Briar’s drink was stolen (and warmed), biscuits were with-held, buttons were pressed that shouldn’t have been, bribes offered, blackmail suggested; rewards and threats heaped one on to the other, and still Briar did not budge. He had the moral high ground and apparently rather liked the view.

The hour passed and 5:30 came, and went again with surprising agility. And still Rhi had not discovered the gossip. It had been an amusing afternoon and in any case it was hardly essential that she know. A few last quips to Briar and she would go home.

“Well I know it was one of the secretaries... I’ll just go ask them.”

“No! Don’t! They’ll know it was me.”

“Yes, but they’ll also know you didn’t tell me… mind you, I doubt that will bother them. So you’d better tell me just to make sure. I know it’s something to do with that visiting Professor from Princeton talking about … oh God even I can’t remember, some sort of client psychology jargon.”

“Psychology of Clients and their response to advertising… It isn’t that great anyway. All that happened was that one of the secretaries refused to let the Professor in because they were female and she’d been told that the visitor was a Professor Terri McMalon. Hardly side-splitting.”

Rhi grinned, “Amusing… no not life-changing, but amusing none-the-less. I’ll see you next week then when I can’t get this stupid presentation to work and start frothing at the mouth?”

“Sure. But don’t make a point of it. I know that Alison is looking for promotion and having that gossip broadcast around would do her no favours at all.”

Rhi looked behind her, wide-eyed and gripping the door for support as her face broke into a grin.

“Shit” was all Briar could say, “Shit, Shit, Shit Shit, Shit, Shit,” and Rhi dissolved into fits of hysteria.

She was still giggling as she collected her bag and rummaged for her keys.

It had been a long day, yes, but shorter than many.



2.    Could have happened to anyone.

It really could have happened to anyone. It isn’t even as though I consciously did anything wrong… just a slight misjudgement on my part with some less fortunate consequences. It really could have happened to anyone. I suppose the more important thing is that it happened to me.

So I chose and rigged a boat, a 420 to be precise. I always love sailing the 420s, heavy and not the most manoeuvrable of dinghies, but fast (comparatively) and they have space to move around easily in. Then I was given a gift of crew, some poor year nine kid who had sailed once before – last week in light wind and in a pico with a friend.

Having been advised not to laugh on the lee shore of the spit (and head off on a near reach) but move my vessel around to the other side, I duly complied and stuck my new team-mate into the front to keep him out of the way. Everything was ready and I had even explained to him how to put the centreboard down as soon as we were out deep enough. All that needed doing was to launch the boat and jump in ready to grab the tiller and mainsheet and sail off on an easy run – less efficient but ultimately less complicated or scary for inexperienced sailors. Experience has taught me differently.

The second part – gaining control of the boat was easy enough, the sails could be left to do what they pleased, and the rudders/tillers on a 420 I find much easier to manage in a hurry than on the laser series. It was the first part of the plan that caused me a problem.

I think a little history is needed here. I sailed on and off through the summer. I sailed 420s solo. I sailed in light winds. Very few boats sail well in light winds. Very few boats sail particularly well on a run without a spinnaker.
The only mistake I actually made was to misjudge the speed the boat would travel in decent wind. I misjudged by about 30cm, if that. Hardly critical? Well… that 30cm landed me in the water behind my boat when I jumped.

The wind caught the sails and she went like a dream. With my lonely crewmember ashen faced staring blankly at where I should have landed.

Apparently the boat dragged me some 30m across the lagoon before I managed to swim around. I persuaded my crew to lean over my side and let me climb in at the shrouds. (No mean feat I assume you as he was convinced he’d capsize the boat with us both on the same side and kept moving away from me just as I got a hold.) I climbed in, tacked around, and headed out into the lagoon.

Next accident was to gybe just before a gust.

He didn’t want to helm that day.

7. I didn’t wear a Jacket to Assembly – even though I was performing.
6. I lived mostly off toast and butter… four or five pieces in fact to make up for break / lunch /
5. I stole chocolate from Paul – thank you
4. I spend a sizable portion of the day in the music school – oboe, recital notes, talking to Sutcliff and SJ
3. I spent a sizable portion of the day on msn – but I also worked whilst I did that.
2. I had 30 minutes of timetabled lessons – unusually I actually worked for 15 minutes of it; walking to the Kent room and logging on to the incomprehensibly slow school network occupied the other 15 minutes.
1. I ache all over – a side effect of sailing for 2 hours and dancing for 4… but triceps and abs are killing (and that is all over for me!! Before you quibble… Stuart! (or Kit/Stephen/Steve/Paul/Em…) ... ☹ Happy pain though so ☺

xXx

... Well mostly for me actually. You know how it gets when work is pressing but not essential.

In fairness I have been very good today. P1 I straightened my hair, put makeup on and then did 40 mins research for my program notes. P2 I had chemistry practical exam which seemed straight-forward enough at the time. Break I was social and discussed tea, nutella, the American elections and German Politics. Then I skived the next 90 mintues followed by a little more research and lunch. Gospel choir, chat to PMD, visit Paul and watch the first half of Euro-Trip then do 45 minutes Organ Practise (Frank - Piece Heroique). Assembly was followed by more socialness in the form of the school fete (most of which seemed to be either food or getting people wet with sponges or water pistols). The evening was another choir followed by revising unit one biology - DNA, transcription, translation and the formation of proteins. I chatted to JMJD for a while and then came home, washed up, made tea (:D lots of tea!), read one book on the history of the oboe and Mummy just gave me another to look through.... Chatted to friend and boyfriend... and now...

Well now I am sitting in bed, thinking about working but writing this instead - well aware that the pro-plus will keep me functional for at least another 120 minutes if I wish it to. hmmm.

She is knitting again
The tenth ball this week
Vibrant colour,
A tactile sport
Yes, I s'pose I see the appeal

She is knitting again
And who can say why
She never used to before
Told me she
"Couldn't"

Before what?

She is knitting again
A scarf made for me
And a jumper for you
The colour
The touch
The caress of thread
Against fingers
Or face
Or shoulders
Neck, arms or head?

Even knots can be beautiful

She is knitting again
The tenth ball this week
Vibrant colour
A tactile sport.
Yes I am glad

She is knitting again.

xXx

And so this latest batch of exams is over. i have probably worked harder for some of these (in particular C3 MATHS) than any in my life. And yet I still doubt there will be much to show for it save my exhaustion, some absolutely stunning bags under my eyes a few more than offended friends and one heck of a lot of piano playing.

So in RunDown (to save me saying more than necessary):

C3 Maths

Went ok, well even, I answered everything, thought I knew how to do most things. Most of the paper was either proove or solve ... and all my answers fitted, so it should be OK. Of course, that belief has let me down before. I hope that all the practise paid out. I did better than last time and will predict A or B

Unit 2 Chemistry

Again, the paper went ok. With the Edexcel Chemistry mark scheme it is more a question of semantic than words and the "correct" semantics vary greatly from year to year. An A in Chemistry is purely luck not skill... and a C is just careless. Was retaking as a matter of pride more than anything else, but still no idea if the answers will be correct according to A Level - pretty certain of the accuracy from a scientific point of view. Predict A or B

Unit 4 Chemistry

Loved this paper for one mark in a 3 mark question. "Show that Aluminium is amphoteric using ionic equations". Well firstly I read the question and noticed the need for ionic equations (you'd be surprised just how many times I failed to do that on practise papers!) and then I spent at leats 10 minutes of the exam trying to work out the equation for the OH- reaction and managed to get it in the last 20seconds from first principles :D. The rest of the paper was straightforward except for Question 2: name the reactive groups.... could identify not name. But really... that one mark makes up for everything (and yes, the first thing I did back in house was to check my answer!). Again with Chemistry we have the discrepancy between answers, knowledge, science and marks...and I was averaging Ds in practise papers before revision, so I will predict an A or B unless I have be especially stupid.

Unit 4 Maths

Now this would be the paper I shouldn't have taken. My deepest thanks to my Father and Bert for teaching me the course, Sue and Mr Wilson for their patients and Deveson, Anna and Lucy for putting up with my panicking. I was still not ready to take the paper. Everyone came out saying that was the hardest thing they've ever done (they said that after C3 maths as well!) and I am actually inclined to disagree... C3 was harder first time around. Questions 1-5 were fine except for potential silly errors. Quesiton 6 I forgot about the exitence of the quadratic formula (AGAIN!!!), Quesiton 7 I couldn't do, Question 8 asked for an answer to 1dp and I got 0.6 (which seems odd), Question 9a I think I got correct at the last minute (and I will get follow through marks) and 9b... who knows. Integration by parts is always touch and go as I get my signs mixed up when I rush! Anyway... I am babelling. If I get everything I answered fully right I got 81%. If I get everything I wrote down right I got closer to 85%. If I only get the things I know are right, right I got 63%. So I predict B or C

Unit 4 Biology

Home run isn't it? Something like that... Wins the prize on the most orinigal order to answer questions (worse than Chemistry 4 for dipping into each one). Also the only paper to have time to spare (C3 did, but I used it to check :P). I didn't bother checking written answers this year. Theory being that if my logic is correct, I will have written it well, and if it is incorrect I am not going to have a sudden flash of inspiration (more likely to change a correct thing than correct an inaccuracy). It is also so tiresome reading through the long answers when you have just spent 10 or 15 minutes writing them. One long question I didn't have a clue and blagged, a couple of one markers that I guessed the right word. Isn't it strange how the exam paper always seems completely different to the practise ones. I was blagging A's in those without much revision at all... I hope the trend continues. I am going to take a risk and predict an A. Actually I really don't know what this mark scheme will be like (Edexcel Biology is usually very good for science vs marks) and there are a couple I am not sure if I picked the right lines so despite saying A I actually thing A or B

Summer Plans? If necessary (i.e. my average isn't an A) retake C4 maths when I should have taken it. If a low B or C in any of the Chemistry or Biology then retake, otherwise live and know Units 5 and 6 (synoptic) BACKWARDS, SIDEWAYS and in the FOURTH DIMENSION! (Apparently both are far more common sense and application as opposed to rote learning which suits me.)

Lent term plans? Read! Read! Read! Study. Set up the PCR stuff that school bought from BioRad. Work out how to use the machine for any experiment they want to do (not just the prepared kits). Music. Music Music. Prepare for next year. Sort of vaguelly go over the AS level biology and chemistry. Actually, I might just alternate weeks of them - ie. 1 week unit 1 biology followed by a week unit 1 chemistry.... that would work.

On more important matters

MAWKIN ARE PLAYING A CEILIDH IN CAMBRIDGE AND I AM GOING..... EAT YOUR HEART OUT FOLKIES!!

(Love you all dearly and can't wait to see everyone again next summer... probably before if things work out well. Can't do IVFDF I don't think... but there's Cheltenham and Chippenham, and I swore I'd get to a gig that wasn't in Cambridge so see you 'll there! :P)

xXx 

I have been thinking....

I have decided I should probably cease this activity.

I have decided this isn't going to happen so whats's the point worrying.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am happy. This is significant progress on my part and consequentally I would like all the people around me to be happy for me (I am selfish like that). This whim of mine is being rather confounded by the fact that serveral of my friends have decided that I can not *possibly* be happy after the events of the past few weeks and there for I must be bi-polar instead (a.k.a. Manic Depression). Whilst I would like to thank them for their concern... This is not reassuring.

Rewards going out for people wh can suggest suitable methods of dealing with my music teacher... The fact that all my energies are currently being directed into being angry at him has no bearing whatsoever on my generally calmer and more relaxed state of mind. *innocence* Actually, I have to say I do not hate him. I merely find him and his more than necessarily childish demenour intensly irritating. This has the rather unusual result that despite holding decent and entertaining conversation with him, I still leave each lesson wanting either to kill something or to curl up and cry...

I suppose that is the effect of someone poking fun at the aspects of your self, skill or life that you are most insecure about... It *is* (unfortunately) funny... but just too much for the current time. *sign* c'est la vie.

On a brighter note... I have an excellent set for my Grade 8 singing which is approaching all too quickly. I have my first lesson with Anne Page tonight. :D And I have done some biology revision (AT LAST).

Random comments....

"You look nice in that... My God your boobs look good" ("only you ____ only you")
"You look happy... what's wrong... are you in love?" ("no out of it")

Right, now too long for a post...

I'd like to write a gallant rhyme
A set of lines, in standard time
But as it's getting close to five
I'll spare you all till another time.

xXx

No more school.... 3 weeks holiday now consisting of Revision

SAILING  

And revision + visit to twigs hopefully.  :D But mostly revision or more accurately, learning of the stuff that I misunderstood/didn't pay attention to in the last week weeks of term. (mostly biology and biological systems which are just confusing eg. oogenisis!).

Sitting here waiting for Prep time to end... 'tis incredibly boring as I never do prep on a Tue evening (because I am lazy, well actually because I only have 15 mins to do it in, so I might as well wait until the evening and take a breather after...

1300 - 1400 Lunch
1410 - 1440 Cycling
1440 - 1540 Piano
1540 - 1615 Cycling
1615 - 1800 Music/Prep/Relax/Town
1800 - 1825 Dinner
1825 - 1915 Chapel Choir
1915 - 2000 Chamber Choir
2000 - 2015 Pack up/Organ
2015 - 2045 Organ
2045 --> BREATH!

Great thing is that most of my days are like that... But I will not bore you with that now. *MUST* do biology c/w at some point, but as I have a lesson tomorrow I think I will start it then. I also need to change (Still in suit! which isnt fun - little sick of heels and tights now!) but will wait until full internet access returns at 9 and I can send a text.

The piano keys, are black and white
But they sound like a million colours in your mind

I like this line (Katie Melua if you are interested). I'm beginning to realise just how colour/image based my mind is. Yes I can learn a list of numbers easily or a section of prose or a list of formulae, but given the choice my notes are set out in at least different colouts, neatly and with aesthetically appealling spaces between different sections, and where a picture will save words I will use it. I also use memory/pictures to date and place events and such like because the only things I refuse to rember are dates. anyway that is a different story and it is the end of prep

So bibi

xXx

I am now a week boarder at the leys... first night tonight... 'tis very strange... Nice though and much less stressful which I suppose was the idea. I am still refusing to form an opinion... all those with far too much curiosity, ask me in a week and I will let you know.

SO Much I have forgotten though :S... silly things like that white board I want, my calculator (makes continuous prob distibutions a little tricky), nailvarnish, nailvarnish remover... hole punch... I'm sure I will discover more as the weeks go on.

Other than that, life is a little calmer than it has been over the past few weeks - FINALLY such a busy week coming up and I'm looking forward to it soooo much!!

Breath of wind
Satin against my skin
Fluttered footsteps
Anxious down the hall

One strap falling
Carelessly replaced
Only to drop again
Forgetten in the rush

Where she is going
Or where she came from
Is scarcely considered
And never remembered

He waits
Expectant
He knows
What will come
And listens
For footsteps
And smiles 

As the door swings foward
And sun kisses lonely room

xXx