Sebastian (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
wildeabandon) wrote2022-12-09 10:14 pm
wildeabandon) wrote2022-12-09 10:14 pm
Dear diary...
It's been a pretty great few days. I've had sessions with both my spiritual directees, which has continued to affirm my sense that this is exactly where I am supposed to be. It's early days yet, and of course I still have a lot to learn, which I'll only learn by doing, but I can feel God working through me in such a palpable way and I am so so blessed to have found a way in which I can serve that makes my heart sing so.
A friend of mine asked me a while ago if I played chess and a few days ago we started playing online. I'm pleased to discover that I seem to have retained most of what I learned last time I was playing a fair bit (although I still make far too many stupid mistakes). I have also been reminded that chess doesn't seem to be something that I can do a little bit of from time to time, and sadly I don't really have time at the moment to throw myself into it, so I suspect that I will play lots for a couple of weeks and then put it to one side again for a while, but perhaps at some point when I've got a bit more space I might let myself get really into it and see if I can actually get good.
I've done a few more French assignments and got marks ranging from 80%(speaking), through 83% (more essays on l'etranger) to 93% (reading, listening, and translation from French to English), so I'm pretty pleased with that. I'm now half way through the material, so I'm feeling pretty confident that a)I'll be able to finish in plenty of time, and b)I should be able to get an A* (the borderline for the last few years has been between 78.5 and 82.3). I've also done one more RS assignment, and got 79%, compared to an A/A* borderline of between 85.4 and 90.0 so there's more work to do there. I think it's more about learning how to answer the questions than actual command of the material, so I'm sure I'll get there.
Tomorrow I've got a few people from St Luke's coming over for tea and cake, so this afternoon I've been baking. I made salted miso chocolate brownies, sticky fruit cake, and the same clementine almond cake I did a couple of weeks ago. I may have slightly over-catered, but I imagine that if I take some leftovers to church on Sunday I'll be able to find a home for them... I am glad to note that I am much more excited than nervous about socialising with new people. I'm sure it helps that I'm on my home territory, and also that I am feeding people, because that is a space I know how to inhabit, but I am still pleasantly surprised.
I've now firmed up my work plans for the first half of next year, with one contract for 3 days/week, and another for 3 days/fortnight, which should enable me to put a reasonable amount away to help keep the mortgage paid if I manage to get onto this degree. It does mean that I'll only have one day/fortnight in addition to weekends for the rest of my A-levels though, so I'm likely to have very little time for socialising until July. I do have the better part of three weeks off over Christmas though, so that should give me the opportunity to get somewhat ahead.
A friend of mine asked me a while ago if I played chess and a few days ago we started playing online. I'm pleased to discover that I seem to have retained most of what I learned last time I was playing a fair bit (although I still make far too many stupid mistakes). I have also been reminded that chess doesn't seem to be something that I can do a little bit of from time to time, and sadly I don't really have time at the moment to throw myself into it, so I suspect that I will play lots for a couple of weeks and then put it to one side again for a while, but perhaps at some point when I've got a bit more space I might let myself get really into it and see if I can actually get good.
I've done a few more French assignments and got marks ranging from 80%(speaking), through 83% (more essays on l'etranger) to 93% (reading, listening, and translation from French to English), so I'm pretty pleased with that. I'm now half way through the material, so I'm feeling pretty confident that a)I'll be able to finish in plenty of time, and b)I should be able to get an A* (the borderline for the last few years has been between 78.5 and 82.3). I've also done one more RS assignment, and got 79%, compared to an A/A* borderline of between 85.4 and 90.0 so there's more work to do there. I think it's more about learning how to answer the questions than actual command of the material, so I'm sure I'll get there.
Tomorrow I've got a few people from St Luke's coming over for tea and cake, so this afternoon I've been baking. I made salted miso chocolate brownies, sticky fruit cake, and the same clementine almond cake I did a couple of weeks ago. I may have slightly over-catered, but I imagine that if I take some leftovers to church on Sunday I'll be able to find a home for them... I am glad to note that I am much more excited than nervous about socialising with new people. I'm sure it helps that I'm on my home territory, and also that I am feeding people, because that is a space I know how to inhabit, but I am still pleasantly surprised.
I've now firmed up my work plans for the first half of next year, with one contract for 3 days/week, and another for 3 days/fortnight, which should enable me to put a reasonable amount away to help keep the mortgage paid if I manage to get onto this degree. It does mean that I'll only have one day/fortnight in addition to weekends for the rest of my A-levels though, so I'm likely to have very little time for socialising until July. I do have the better part of three weeks off over Christmas though, so that should give me the opportunity to get somewhat ahead.
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Also, I was once a moderately-incompetent (unrated) chess player: but, without regular practice, frustrating mistakes are all too regular. I can't justify the commitment in time that would be needed, over a period of months, that would get me to a level where I'd be enjoying it.
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And yeah taking baking leftovers to Church always works - Dad took the left over funeral biscuits to the midweek Guild meeting and they all disappeared super fast!
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I do occasionally worry that when everything is full of stress and doom for so many people that it's going to seem like rubbing salt in the wound, but then I remember that I like seeing my friends happy even when I'm miserable, and also that my social circle is sufficiently forthright that someone would probably mention if I was being insufferable.
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