tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326822292012-02-08T02:39:08.128+01:00This is my blog. Right now I'm a 2nd year Mechanical Engineering student at Aston University in Birmingham, UK. My life is spent between my two jobs, academic work and socializing. I also run occasionally. *Very* occasionally.Mikeynoreply@blogger.comBlogger21100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32682229.post-17660084250849005472012-02-08T02:39:00.000+01:002012-02-08T02:39:08.146+01:00Tomorrow (or rather today, as it is well past midnight) I will be participating in the Aston Mathletes 'Don't Drink and Derive' pub crawl across Birmingham. One of the girls at the bar is organising it, being on the Aston Mathletes committee, and another - who is also studying maths - will be celebrating her 21^st birthday. And I'm quite looking forward to it! Its been nice this year to have a second social group with whom I can hang out with that aren't all Guildies or Raggies. Its nice to have some outside perspective on things.<br /><br />That said, I do sometimes feel as though I've sold out. Or maybe just given up? I've not been to a Guild Council for a while and sit on no committees this year which is a first in my four years at Aston. But I AM enjoying not taking part in all the politics that go with being so involved. Unfortunately, it would appear that some of those politics are unavoidable as I've been asked to be part of my friend Marie's VPFME campaign team.<br /><br />The last campaign team I was a part of was that of my now long-term girlfriend Sarah. Its hard to believe that was over three years ago and that the people I started university with are this year about to graduate and, in the case of Marie and probably Max, run for a sabbatical role. I guess it has kind of brought it home to me just how much they've done in these fours years and just how little I have achieved in the same space of time :(<br /><br />Maybe this is why I'm up at quarter past one reading through lecture notes I don't understand, desperately hoping they'll make more sense in the lectures and tutorials tomorrow. Despite the fact that I'm completely not fussed about getting Mechanical Engineering, I will be disappointed in myself if I fuck it all up and come out of it with nothing. I guess I should have put more thought and/or effort into my degree choice, rather than just jumping on the first option that was presented to me but honestly at the time I really didn't care and just wanted to get out of the house.<br /><br />Speaking of getting out of the house, my friend Sam should be moving back to Birmingham sometime soon. I've not really seen her in a few months and (and I know she's call me out on this) I am missing her. Its strange how ones feelings for a person can change, quite quickly at times, and how you can find yourself genuinely caring for somebody you were once rather indifferent about. Anyway, here's hoping for her speedy return.<br /><br />Nikki is meant to be moving out of Henage today as well. This is at least the third moving date so far and I wouldn't be surprised if it got postponed again. I do sometimes wonder if its all made up and she's just staying with the boys as long as possible but I can't believe it is. They'd have absolutely no problem with her sleeping on the sofa indefinitely if she wanted to so I guess she really has been getting messed around by her prospective landlord! <br /><br /><b>Running</b><br />As mentioned in the 'blurb' of this fine blog, I do run very occasionally.<br />I am trying to run more, with the help of the NHS' <a href="http://www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/c25k/Pages/couch-to-5k.aspx" target="_blank">Cou<span id="goog_1985574285"></span><span id="goog_1985574286"></span>ch to 5k program</a>, and have entered myself into a 5k on 25^th April. Hopefully it will give me something to aim for so watch this space. If it all goes will I might enter myself for a half marathon later this year, but right now the thought of running 13.3 miles petrifies me. So; baby steps.<br /><br />Anyway, that is enough for now. Its twenty five to two and I've got to be up at half seven for lectures. FML why do I do this to myself?<br /><br />Oh well,<br />Goodnight World.<br /><br /><b>&nbsp;</b><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32682229-1766008425084900547?l=mikeybarnes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0Birmingham, West Midlands B5, UK52.4646393 -1.899968952.4452913 -1.9394509 52.4839873 -1.8604869tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32682229.post-19513128046616787572012-02-02T22:09:00.000+01:002012-02-02T22:09:10.288+01:00<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So I'm starting here, with some background.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As above, I'm a second year Mechanical Engineering undergraduate at Aston University. I work two jobs; one at the SU bar and the other at a well known health and beauty retailer. I've recently taken up running in an effort to get fit (as I'm currently tipping the scales at about 105 kg) and will probably be using this blog as a record of all of these things. Throughout all of this I live in a three story town house with three other guys, two playstations and one beer fridge.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">More to come later!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/32682229-1951312804661678757?l=mikeybarnes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0Birmingham, UK52.482961 -1.89359252.473291 -1.913333 52.492631 -1.873851