Everest BABY!!!

So, I apparantly have lost my mables because I've decided to trek to the Base Camp of Everest with my friend Alex and a group of other students. We're off in March during the Easter holidays. While in Nepal, as we trek up to the Base Camp, which is 5,360 metres (17,600 ft) up the 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) of Mt Everest, we'll be visiting villages and schools to see where the money we raise is going. We're also going to have the chance to go on a safari on the back of an elephant and go bungee jumping!!! I'm sooo excited but a little bit scared as well, cause it's going to be the hardest thing I've ever done!!!!

We need to raise £2,200 each by February which is also going to be a massive challenge. I've got quite a few ideas like cake sales, a club night, sponsorship, bag packing, etc, but I was wondering if anyone else had some good ideas to raise this money? I'm sure some of you will think of something great!!

This is my sponsorsip page http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/HelenMcGuire so please pass it round friends, family, randomers, anyone!

xxxxx

Wow, two blogs in two days?! Must be a new record for me or something!

Anywho, following on from Freddie's video (YAAAAAAAAAY Freddie sunday is back in my life!!!) I thought I'd answer her questions today, as I'm going to be having another manic week this week and probably wont get the chance later.

Soooo, question numero 1: What did I secretly want to be when I was growing up?
Errrr, no idea. I honestly can't remember what I wanted to be. I suppose I was like most kids and wanted to be a princess/dinosaur finder/adventurer/pirate, but what real job did i always want to do? No idea. Definitely not law.

2: How old was I when I started walking?
Again, no idea. Whatever the normal age to start walking is. I know I learnt to talk very quickly and my parents always joke that they've never been able to shut me up (haha aren't parent's funny?!)

3: Stripes or Polka dots?
Er, see background please. Polka dots all the way!!

4: Worst haircut I've ever had in my life?
Probably the one I did for myself where I cut it all wonky. That wasn't so fun. Luckily you can disguise a bad haircut with my hair.

5: Do I like the name Juno?
Yes, but it only suits Ellen Page in the film. Unless you're as cool as she is, Juno will never suit you!

6: If I could already fly, had super strength and super speed, what would be my extra super hero power?
Definitely invisibility. Cause then I could spy on people!

7: What is the naughtiest thing I've ever done?
Oh God, I was such an evil child, that there are probably loads of things, many of which I've forgotten, they were that bad! The first thing that sprang to mind was stealing pick and mix from my local shop in south africa every single sunday for about 6 years. That's a lot of pick and mix. Or stealing some of my sisters' jewellery, and then breaking it, and blaming my little brother who couldn't talk and so couldn't defend himself? :S I was a naughty sister!


Now, I'm looking forward to reading other people's answers! And Freddie, I know you answered a few of the questions, but I think you should answer all of them!

I also just wanted to say that I absolutely LOVE your first video, Freddie! The bit at the beginning, where you're singing to How do you like you're eggs in the morning makes me smile every time and really cheers me up. I listen to that song, and Get Happy by Judy Garland, every morning on my way into uni and it makes sure I start my day off well! Then when I get home after spending most of the day in the library, I make sure I watched that part of the video just to cheer me up! So thank you Freddie! :D

Toodles for now
xxxx

One boring Saturday afternoon....

So I really should be working right now, but I'm bored so I decided that it was high time to update my blog! I don't really have anything interesting to say (when do I ever) but it seems like a very good procrastination!

This week has been a bit of an odd one - I've been working ridiculously hard trying to finish 3 essays due next week. I've only finished one, have done the reading for another so I'm almost ready to start that one, and the third one is going fuck knows where. So Hells Bells is a little stressed at the moment.

God, I never really thought about how hard second year would be! its not really much harder content wise, but I've got more assignments and reading to do, so it feels much harder! I'm actually looking foward to Christmas just to have a break from work!

I know Freddie in her blog wanted us to describe something funny that's happened this week, but I don't think any thing has for me. I've been spending every day in the library, and nothing fun ever happens in the library! So, sorry to disappoint Fred, but if something fun does happen to me soon, I'll let you know.

Right, I'd better get back to work. I'll try and keep this blog better updated so all you lovely people know whats happening in Brighton!

Love you all

xxxxx

O M F G

This looks A MA ZING!!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I'm actually too excited for words!!!!

Zzzzzzzzzzhmmmmmmmmmmmm plonk

That is kinda the noise going through my head right now while im trying to revise...as in static noise cause my brain is too tried to really work out what to add to this bloody essay to make it even half way good. All I have is a plonk every now and again.

This post isnt gonna be me complaining about how much i hate revision - you all know what its like, im sure you dont really need reminding.

Anywho, the reason I am wasting my time writing this and not actually doing some work is that I need your help. Basically as I write my essay I listen to Spotify (Hi, i'm Jonathan from Spotify....Hello, this is your freezer speaking....etc!) But I'm running out of things to listen to! I listen to classical music while I study as anything else just distracts me (like yesterday when I decided to listen to Disney songs and just spent an hour singing to myself in the library - my housemates were WTF?! lol!) I've been listening to loads of film scores - like Gladiator, the Last of the Mohicans, Pirates of the Carribean etc etc - but I cant think of any more amazing film scores or just any music to listen to and inspire me to work harder! So i thought I'd ask you, as you are all very musical and love your soundtracks!

So please, let me know what you think would help me to revise, or just what is you favourite film scores? I will be eternally grateful!

Just to say that i've spent the last two days listening everything Danny Elfman on Spotify and I love him! I've always known he's a great composer and everything (especially as Freddie goes on about him a lot! :P) but sitting in the library yesterday, trying to write an essay on the influence of religion on persecution, i suddenly had an epiphany and fell in love with Danny Elfman. So thank you Freddie for constantly going on about him. It has finally penetrated my thick skull!!

And good luck to everyone doing exams, essays, making records etc!

Peace out!
x

And so it begins....

I've just returned from my first session in the library completely dedicated to revision....and so the boredom/stress/torment of the next month begins. Revision, as Marina so wonderfully put it on facebook earler "revision is Hitler’s and Stalin’s manbaby". This, unfortuanately, is far too true, especially as I have the wonderous job of revising both of these fantastic men, in far too deep a detail.

There are a number of things getting me through this truely hellish experience:

1. The awful weather - makes it so much easier to be stuck indoors
2. My annoying housemates who insist on having the TV up far too loud even when I've asked them to turn it down
3. Again, my housemates and them not doing their washing up, therefore making the house smell
4. Two of my housemates constantly having sex in their room, and as the walls are pretty thin, the ENTIRE house can hear them
   
5. GLASTONBURY!!!!
6. And going home and seeing my friends

So yeah, at times, the library is the better place. And I love that our library is 24 hours so that when I get the sudden urge to start working at, say, 10 o'clock, it's still open and I can work till i literally collapse at 4 in the morning.

Talking of collapsing, last night the weirdest thing happened. I was doing some reading for my seminar this morning, reading about the causes of the First World War, when i decided just to rest my eyes for a few minutes as i was pretty tired. Next thing I know, I wake up at 2 in the morning, my reading stuck to my face, my body in some weird curled up position, and a bloody sore crick in my neck. I peeled my reading off my face, threw all my books and crap on the floor, and fell asleep again. My friend phoned and texted me not long after, which i slept through. If i get a text, my phone literally goes off and vibrates every 10 seconds, but i slept through this. My 3 alarms went of at 7.30 which i completely slept through, and therefore missed my seminar this morning. I didnt wake up until 12pm. In that time, my phone had been vibrating and ringing as my course mates tried to see if i was alive, my housemates went to lectures (slamming the front door as they did), they'd made breakfast, had showers, watch tv, and (according to them) made quite a bit of racket. I'd slept through all this. I've never done this before. So i woke up, not having a clue where everyone was or why i'd slept so late!
Talking of sleeping, I'm gonna go watch a DVD and have an early one so that i can be up bright and early tomorrow to get an entire day of revision done!

And the countdown begins: 40 days till Glastonbury!!!

And 48 days till I'm back in Jersey.

That's whats getting me through revision!

Death is the Road to Awe

As Freddie keeps sharing music that she loves at the moment, I thought I'd join in the fun. I've just been watching The Fountain, which is the film where this music is from. I actually heard the music before I'd even watched the film, and it was actually hearing this song and seeing this video that made me buy the DVD.

And it is a brilliant movie! Truely beautiful and wonderful. I've seen it twice now, and I cry like a baby every time. I really hope all of you can see it, cause it is really superb. It's classed as a sci-fi movie, and i can see why it is, but i wouldn't class it as a sci-fi. Basically, the beginning is quite confusing, but if you do get round to watching it, please stick with it!!! it does get easier to understand, trust me. And it is an amazing film, it really makes you think about life and death.

And two of my favourite quotes of all time comes from this film - firstly, "death is the road to awe" which i think is just a beautiful way of seeing death, and secondly, "for every shadow, no matter how deep, is threatened by the morning light" as it is really inspiring.

Anyway, this song is amazing, and Clint Mansell is a genius. Enjoy!