Ah, the relief! I have just completed my first revision-exam-test thing, whereby I give myself one hour to write an essay answering one of last year’s exam questions. I chose the one that I find the most difficult – get it out the way you know. What was the title? Er, oh yeah, “How useful are theories of international relations (realism, liberalism, constructivism) for making sense of East Asian security?”

Of course what I’ve written may be a pile of tripe, and of course I should have done this about two weeks ago (5 days to go until the exam. 6 days until the other exam, 8 days until the final exam.) Can’t wait till they’re over. I get almost two days off then in which I can play with my girlfriend… (eat, watch dvds, go shopping etc). After that I’m coming back here to the middle of the Welsh outback in order to prepare for next semester. I am NOT going to let myself get in this last-minute-panic situation again. Silly boy.

Was so stressed last night I just couldn’t sleep at all, more bad dreams too. I knew I’d have bad dreams, as I saw a cloud above my bed before I went to sleep. Silly of me to leave the window open I suppose. Oh, but at least my student loan came through. Shame I’m only mega-rich for four days – the rent goes out on Thursday, that’s about 1000 pounds.

I chopped a load of wood up today with a chainsaw, and then split it in two with an axe. That was very satisfying. Except for the bit at the end where the axe hit the bit of oak in a totally unconventional manner (must have been the postman walking by with a huge magnet in his bag that did it) and flew off at a silly angle, contrary to expectation, resulting in a pulled muscle in my back. Ouch.

Anyway my darlings, that is what is happening in my world at the moment. Oh, would you like to see a picture of me working? Would you? Would you? Oh, alright then, just for you.

xxx