Pet Hates.

Now back at school my rate of daily conversation has increased. I know that sounds terrible, but at school you either learn, talk or... skive I suppose. Well, there are a whole lot of things you can get up too in Stranraer Academy but I shant say what. ;) The conversation at lunch turned into one of Pet Hates, and I got really interested so I've carried it on to my blog. I was also tagged to do it by my "Irish-Buddy" friend Kathie who wont let me link to her blog for some odd reason. Lolz.

Pet hates. Some of my pet hates dont really sound like pet hates, they just sound fussy. But heyho. I have several, as follows-
- The most obvious one, the "conspiracy" surrounding the spelling and mistaken identity I have with my name. I would love to change my name to something unforgettable like Sacagawea... Jemma really isnt that hard. Is it?

- I really dislike it when old people stand in the middle of the street and talk about how many times they've had their hips replaced. I also find it humourous so I'm not sure this one counts. Plus, I'll be old one day... Muwhahaha. *pensioner from hell music*

- In school, the craze of wearing luminous orange/green/yellow bangles, belts, shoes, hairbands, earrings, eye shaddow and beads. Really, there is no need for it unless you happen to wander the streets as a late-night Lollipop Woman.

- The same people mentioned above spelling words in the new "Ned-ictionary." Words including: Awryt, bbz, plz, hu, laffs, tht, fanx and wuu2, the list goes on... If thats not bad enough they bombard you with copious amounts of xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx's at the end of each sentence. Do these people have no concept of how bad spelling and grammatical mistakes look online. *despair*

- Push and Pull doors. There's always that moment of confusion in your mind when you're not sure whether to Push or Pull but you also dont want to look like an idiot when trying to find out. Or maybe thats just me... [Wouldnt that sentence be hillarious if taken out of context? ;)]

I dont have as many pet hates as I origanaly thought.. Wow. Well, its an open tag, apparently so feel free to participate at your own will.


Drawing of the week, the only drawing of the week as I'm at war with my art teacher, is my one of my favourite food other than Lemon curd. Jelly.

I like brightly coloured things.

Brightly coloured jelly-tastic things.

Which is why my next picutre I plan to put up here will be awesome. I hope anyway.

THINGS OF THE MOMENT-
Song of the week: ELO- Calling America. I adoore it.
Quote of the week: "Yeh, rhythm and rhyme, like Lemon and Lime. Innit."
Poet of the week- Stevie Smith (Infelice and Our Bog is Dood)
Food and general Everything Of The Week- Awesome Ice cream sprinkles. S'love. :)

Its 10 oclock. Offically the latest I've ever left an essay. Excpet that time I woke up at 3am and remembered I had one on the Identification to write. That was a silly moment. Must be off!

Back to School.

Well that's summer 07 over. Usually that comment would be followed by "and what a summer its been" but this year its not true. The weather has been non existent of anything that could be classed as Summery and the school holidays were far too short. Not that I'm complaining...

The first day of school was Tuesday, and I'm so glad its over. Everything was alright -I had slowly gripped how to use a pencil again by 4th period- and classes settled in quite quickly. Wednesday was pretty much the same, and the influx of new teachers is incredible! But at least it means we can get taught now..

Howeverrrr.

Mrs O'Neill has bravely left the English Dept, Stranraer Academy, in search of an educational adventure in Minnesota! As Shaun has beaten me to, we do wish you the best of luck in your new job and for your future Mrs O. Even if you're veryveryveryveryvery muchly missed. Do enjoy itt! And do keep us up to date with your blog, when you find the time in the 7 hour time difference that isss.

Our English adventures have come to an end. Alongside Mrs O'Neill leaving -which was veryveryvery... (okay, I'll stop with that now) saddening- I have been moved into Mr Keery's class because of my exam result, leaving Laura, Grant and James in another class. Its all gone to pot I tell youuu. :D They're even doing a poem about a hospital. A HOSPITAL! My specialist subject of all things. Rather unfair.

Though saying that, I can stay happy about it. There are plenty of funny memories and quips from before the summer. Like the "When a pupil goes mad" Button... James' plane book...Haha, my distracting plane impressions... The Nuclear Power, War in Iraq, Racism and NHS essays... The Free Stuff Spree, well James' Free Stuff Spree... My silly similes poster... And of course these blogs, they've been great to write and read, so thank you Miss, English was great. :)

[Oh and by the way, Mr Keery has absconded with most of your books including SeaBiscuit. And we pinched your classroom sign. For safe keeping of course.. ;)]

Best wishes, x

Summer Blogging, Grease remake 2070.

Yes! I'm summer blogging. Here's a brief outline of the story, and why you should all join up too:

Mrs O'Neill suggested we should have a Wikispace which leads to our newly created Summer Blogs where we'll keep an account during the summer of our holidays and other things etc, there will also be Creative Writing included too.

What we need now is new members. So, if you're interested in keeping a blog and like the idea of a Summer one, please contact us via our blogs or the Wikispace and we'll be sure to answer any queries and join you up!

Updates shall follow about any advanced x

Motivate Motivation

Recently, well today as a matter of fact, I handed in my Personal Study of Daphne du Maurier's 'Rebecca' for English. I loveloveloved writing it, whereas a few people have complained about having to do work only a matter of days before the summer holidays, as I loveloveloved the book. (What a surprise...) I adore writing analytically, especially if its on a piece of text or novel that I enjoyed reading, whether I‘m good at it is a different matter. To be honest, I think you need to like your novel to actually spur yourself into reading into the deeper meanings of it. If that makes sense...?

Let me make myself slightly less jumbled like alphabetical soup, which is yummy by the way.

I'm one of those people who needs a big interest or incentive and added on pressure to actually function properly. For instance, the Int 2 Coursework requirements for Art are that each candidate produces 2 3-A2 sheets, one set for Still Life and the other for Graphic Design. They give both 3rd and 4th year to do this in. Now, me being the lazy so-and-so I am, I left both my final pieces and most of my Still Life Unit un-done up until the last two months, meaning everything was an uber big rush. But I finished it, and it was incredibly better than anything I'd done in the free time limit. Ok, so it took me three hours, one packet of chalks and a helluva big mess to do it in, but it was done and I liked it. Cant say mum was too chuffed about the mess though. Even the dog was techno-coloured. :)

"Motivation such an aggravation,
Accusations dont know how to take them.
Inspirations getting hard to fake it.
Concentrations never hard to brake it.
Situation never what you want it to be." Sum 41, Motivation.

QUOTE OF THE DAY-
"Computers are magnificent tools for the realization of our dreams, but no machine can replace the human spark of spirit, compassion, love, and understanding."
~Louis Gerstner.

Anyway, motivation. I need motivation, and I think we all do in some aspect. If there weren’t deadlines to meet, would we as a nation be able to function? You face deadlines everyday, TV Schedules, Newspaper Deadlines, Doctors appointments and even the more subtle ones like being home in time to watch your favourite TV program. So what motivates people?

Studies show that it is a balance between our emotions and incentives that make us self motivate to complete tasks. The Soul Purpose, a company like The Tree Of Knowledge who specialise in Motivational Workshops state that its rather like dangling a carrot in front of a donkey, which is an excellent way of describing it.

However, this then means that an episode of Casualty, a Peanut butter Kit Kat or Jelly can be used against me. Hmmm… I may have to re-asses my insentives...

'Tis The Season To Be Jolly...

Admit it, you sang Fah lah lah lah la la lah lah lah after reading the title didn't you? :D

185 Days, 13 Hours.

That's all it is before the halls are decked, the turkeys are stuffed and the house is turned upside down in an explosion of brightly coloured tinsel. Great isn't it? I know its nowhere near the right time to be singing Christmas songs or swapping tales of your family arguments that inevitably happen at the extensive and overcrowded dinner table, but the topic has got me thinking. Or reflecting rather.

On December the 4th, 2000, the Dornan family left Glasgow Airport with the destination 3 hours North East of Britain. Lapland. Being only 8 and 6 at the time meant it was still OK to get over-excited at things and both Glen and myself were extremely excited what with it being the run up to Christmas and my birthday too. Upon arriving in Lapland the first scene was like something taken out of a Christmas Card, with snow covering everything its icy fingers could reach. It was as if we'd left the busy humdrum life of Scotland and entered a world like no other. There were no cars, no bustling shops filled with gift-crazy mothers, no clocks that constantly reminded you that you had to be somewhere else five minutes ago. Nothing. Just pure peace and serenity.

I think that was one of the things I remember, and to this day the memory remains intact as if it were only a few months ago. The feel of the snow when I stepped into it right up to my knees... Watching as my breath lingered in the air like a make-believe tree decoration... Glen and I making snow angels... Battling in snowball fights with our fellow travellers... Catching the look on my mums face when Glen hit her with snowball before she returned fire... the reindeer wandering the trees nearby... magical.



Of course, at the time I wasn't analysing just what was drawing me into the place, but the more I think back on it I can see it in my mind. Every once in a while we all need a break. Whether it be to a hot Mediterranean country or the chilling wilds of Norway, if its a contrast from your home its worthwhile. I don't think anyone would be sane if they stayed in Stranraer for all of time, that would be enough, in the words of many an Academy pupil, 'tae drive a sane man batty.'

The backseat traveller in me feels compelled to say thats its part of Human Instinct to explore and discover not only new places but ourselves in the journey to the destination. Like travelling all the way down to the Cotswolds before you suddenly decided you dislike the car seats and can barely move upon arriving. Or going round Longleat Safari Park in 40'C heat in a car with no Air Conditioning or allowance to open the windows, and realizing you hate the heat but love the sun. Maybe I'm just speaking from past experience but in my opinion the journey that takes you where you're going, is just as important as the getting there.

(I adore travelling. Give me a good book, my Walkman phone and any mode of transport you chose and I'd be happy wherever you sent me. So long as it wasn't James piloting the plane, I've seen his landings, and trust me, the runway ain't fun on one wheel!)

I'm just curious as to what other people think of travelling, what with today's society being given daily reminders of the terrorism atrocities and attacks in recent times. Even though it is a daily commodity we all take for granted, should we pay more attention to the wider effects? Global Warming has been a major cause for concern recently with Britan's Carbon Footprint being discussed on every news forum the world over. Personally, I think even though we need time away and time to ourselves, we should all pay more attention to what our affects will have on future generations. Will Scotland be like it is today? Or will we be all walking around in "Atmospheric Protection Suits" like aliens from a Sci-Fi movie? Or, will we even be here at all? Given enough food and the mind boggles at the possibilities.

Education

Recently, I have been surveying the Education System from within its very walls, yes, my school. My school isn't perfect, no one in the town would say so but its not exactly terribly bad either. Yes, there a days when if given a shot gun you could shoot yourself silly with the amount of pupils you'd like to eradicate permanently, and then there are also days when you feel like a working part of a huge community, almost like a family. A very estranged, distended and noisy family, but a family nonetheless. (Ok, so I may be exaggerating just a little with the shot gun theory but I'm sure others would agree.)

I had two days just like these not so long ago, it was a Monday and a Tuesday of the same week if I remember correctly. Nothing major happened on the Monday; no big bomb threats or a deliberate setting-on-fire of the library, there was just period after period of disruptive pupils, extreme heating conditions and clueless cover teachers. Added together on a grey, drizzly, typical Scottish Monday did not result in a nice Jemma. The day almost drove me to loose faith in the school completely.

If there is one thing I cant stand is being in a class where I know I have a great deal of work I could be getting on with but due to an illness my teacher hasnt made it in and we get a cover teacher who'd just as happily make us watch endless episodes of The Simpsons. Or, in the case of RME, Wallace and Gromit. I'm most deffinately not blaming it on the teachers or the cover teachers for that matter, its the lack of discipline there is in todays schools and also in many family homes.

Kids are misbehaving, then are not getting punished by the Higher Management according to what they've done. Its either to be put on a timetable (which has mutated into a badge of hounour and a plus 100 points on your Street Cred) or to get a phonecall home. I'm sorry to admit but, say, 10 years ago if your parents got a phonecall from the school, they would immediately ask you what you've done, why you'd done it and get the full story before taking it further and dealing with it. In 2007 however, the immediate parental reaction is to ask the teachers why they have the nerve to call them about their child when their child has done nothing wrong, yet they havent even got the story straight from either side. It is not only setting a bad example and making the kids have no respect for the school, but its also going to affect them in later life, the school is going to become the workplace and teachers are going to become employers and there will be no end in the problems.

Witnessing fellow pupils misbehave in classes, seeing teachers getting stressed out over them and watching as the state of education slides decidedly downwards, I cant help but feel a great deal of pity for the teachers in schools. They not only have the responsibilty of teaching and nuturing you minds, but they aslo have the added pressures of discipline and parents who refused to believe their child is no longer their little angel. I say they deserve more credit than they currently get, dont you?

*I find my opinions on this subject rather ironic as I myself want to be an Art Teacher. :)

Me In A Blogshell.

Whilst pondering what I could place in my blog and certain topics that will come up over the next few weeks I decided I just get this entry over and done with.

The All About Me Section.

Of course, I don't expect many to read this but just in case someone stumbles across my blog they may as well know a little bit about me. So here goes...

-I'm Jemma, I'm 15 and currently loving English and Art in Stranraer Academy. I like going out in the rain, eating Lemon Curd and watching Casualty. By Jove if I could figure out how to eat Lemon Curd in the rain and watch Casualty at the same time I'd be laughing.
-Other hobbies include writing on here, Bebo (I know its not really a hobby but you'll find me there very often) taking my Guinea Pigs walks, listening to music and keeping in touch with everyone I know in Australia, England and Holland.
-The art side of me is just a pastime but one day in the hazy-but-near future, I'd love to teach it as a subject. Knowing me, it'll change but heyho, cake decorating is my back up. Still Life and Graphic Design are my strong points with hands also but I'd love to get my Portraiture up to scratch. Being in 5th Year and taking 5 Highers doesn't leave you with much free time however, so its on the back burner at the minute.
- School Life isn't too bad at the minute, English and Art are getting me through the weeks quite happily. Mrs ONeill and Mr Nimmo are excellente' and I think that's what makes all the difference. S'awsum! Getting to study the NHS and Daphne du Maurier in English.


FIVE THINGS YOU WONT KNOW ABOUT ME.

1. My name is Jemma. J E M M A. Not Jenna, Heather, James, Gemma or indeed "Glens big sister," thank you very much.

2. I used to do ballet, which then morphed into swimming for the Stranraer Stingrays. Haha.

3. My birthday is the 22nd of December, and to quote my Granny, I "was the best Christmas present" she's ever had. <3

4. I'm totally obsessed with Casualty. Muwhahaha. Its awesome, and its the only thing I watch on TV funnnily enough. Susan Cookson, who plays Dr Maggie Coldwell, is absoloutely amazing and deserves much more credit than she gets. (Strokes ones autograph :P)

5. My favourite author in the world is Daphne du Maurier (in case I havent already told you so, which I highly doubt :P) Its not just the fact that her books are amazing and gothicly romantic, but its also the fact that Daphne herself was such an interesting character. The recent BBC 2 Period Drama 'Daphne' was based around her life and ti was ohso excellente'. I have it on DVD if anyone wishes to watch, it seriously was one of the best Dramas I've viewed in an absolute age.

Update soooon x