Climbing the walls!

Hello and happy first week of lectures to everyone !

This week my blog consists of an eclectic mix of Twilight, The Wall

phenomenon and David Ruffin (starring in my record of the week)...

Twilight :

'Oh no !' I hear you say 'Not those vampire films again!'

Actually, no vampires here! But there has been a new addition to our household this week, a kitten whose name is 'Twilight.' She is eight weeks old and we collected her last Thursday. I suppose she was really scared after being taken away from her family -  we hardly got a wink of sleep that night because she was meowing and pacing up and down until dawn ! I think I managed one hour of unbroken sleep from 5 - 6am, and awoke to find that THE KITTEN HAD GONE ! I had to leave at 7.30 for work at the enquiry unit still not having found her... I was worried all day, to the point that my work colleagues had given up trying to comfort me with rational explanations for her absence. We got home to find that she was still missing, but could hear a faint meow coming from somewhere in the house. After extensive searches, my daughter finally found her in a chest of drawers, cuddled up amongst the socks ! She had managed to crawl into the drawer through a three inch gap at the top, but had not been able to get out. Cats are funny, you buy them the nicest cat baskets and they'll sleep anywhere but... She has now taken to sleeping in a teddy bear’s deckchair (cute kitten photo alert!).

The Wall: Solved !

Yes, it is as I predicted on my very first blog, I have managed to climb over ‘The Wall.’  I think I explained (more than a few times) that I was having trouble getting started on my literature review.

I had a BIG motivation problem during the summer break, and have been looking forward to the start lectures and my normal studying routine (yes, I do have one !). If I did have just the tiniest, microscopic doubt that I would start work on my literature any time soon, it has now been put to rest... and the main reason for this ? A phenomenon completely new to me, a course designed for postgraduate researchers called 'Research Methods.' 

I was a little concerned when I entered the lecture room on Wednesday afternoon. There were approximately forty other students from a variety of disciplines and at least two different schools, my thoughts ranged from 'How will they cater for such a diverse group.' to ' What does Hermeneutical mean?' By the end of the afternoon, both these questions had been answered, and my literature review problem had been sorted to boot ! Apparently they ease us into our 'BIG literature review' by supporting us in writing a 'Mini literature review' on our own research topic - Fabulous, I thought - you can always trust the University to give added value ! 

Just in case you were wondering... Hermeneutical is a word derived from the

name of Hermes, the messenger to the gods of Greek mythology and refers to

interpretation in research.

J's record of the week :
‘Walk away from love’ by David Ruffin.

I bought my (vinyl) single of this song in a junk shop when I was eight
years old. I was out shopping on a Saturday with my Uncle Paul

(Cornish farmer, and singular most important influence on my musical taste), who

suggested it would be the very best thing I could spend my 50p pocket money on that week.
He was right and I am still listening to it regularly 28 years later !

David Ruffin was a founder member of 'The Temptations' but released this solo
single under the Motown label in 1975. It was produced by Van McCoy (famous
for among other songs such classics as: 'The Hustle' and 'Turn this Mother Out').
Jerushah x