University Thoughts

    Well, a few thoughts have changed within the past 20 days or so. As of October this year i will be living in Brighton. A recent change in heart had me ask (beg) Sussex to consider allowing me to start studying there this fall. It surprisingly didn't take much begging at all, and i will be starting this year. So now i'm stuck with this massively cheesy smile plastered across my face. 

  My original idea was to take as much time as possible away from school, and anything remotely educational. In fact i was adamant a gap year was my only option for 'happiness'. But now i realise all i want to do is learn. I've been finding myself trying to research everything that pops into my small mind, probably none of it of any use to me at all. But the useless knowledge seems to bring a certain comfort. That comfort is probably also the reason for the semi-formal writing style i've involuntarily adopted for these posts. How is it that school still rules my life even though i've happily escaped it?

  On another note starting this year allows me to get out of the house, and allows me to put off getting a job.  And of course the best part is how excited jimmy is about the change. Almost more than i am. Possible? Roll on October. Again, life could not be radder if it tried. 

Nostalgia

  18 years under my belt as it stands, I have my future to think about, but it seems for the moment all i can think about is my past, which from my reflections has been a pretty good one. Its strange thinking about how different you would be if you hadn't had moved here or there, met those that you did, or learn what you did. Right now, in the present, i can't see how my choices or my friendships shape who i am. But looking back at the past i can see just how much everything i did has made me who i am. I do silly things sometimes, and i can't always keep everyone happy, but i'm incredibly happy with every choice and every friendship i've ever made. I wouldn't have it any other way. I wouldn't have myself any other way.

Sea Stories

   A bittersweet day. Bitter because these were the last three dives of my stay, sweet because how it ended. A 6 o'clock start to the day, but the few missed hours of sleep proved in our favour as a couple of white tip reef sharks came to greet us, although they were quite far below us, but a perfect place to watch their graceful movements. Along with the sharks, 2 metres of Napoleon Ras graced us with it's presence. Its sheer size and beauty were all, of course, lost on film. The second dive of the day held nothing too spectacular, although just being in the sea is good enough for me. 

   Though the dive itself was not the most exciting, the speed boat ride back to the hotel proved amazing. Just looking out at where the sky touches the sea i saw fins breaking the service, and started pointing madly. The driver seemed to notice and sped off in the direction of the fins, as we got closer bottlenose dolphins appeared under the surface, swimming straight up to the boat, jumping up straight in front of our eyes. At least 20 of these magestic creatures all around the boat, my instinct was to grab the camera and lean over the front of the boat, and i did. All i had to do was put my hand down and touch the surface and they would swim right up, letting my hand brush against their smooth skin. I managed to snap a few photos [above], despite the fast up and down motions of the boat and how quickly they jumped and played in the water. Difficult business! But had to be done. This was definitely an experience that will stay in my heart next to last years whale shark. Everything is so beautiful.

By The Sea

   The ocean is honestly the most incredible thing. It may be cliché, but it truly is a completely different world down there. 2 completely separate worlds sharing one planet, its beautiful. Yesterday we just swam out into the blue, not in the hopes of seeing big marine life, but because its the most serene experience. Just gliding with 30 metres above, 300 below. Up, down, left, right just pure blue. Its hard to imagine nothingness, but i think this is as close as it gets.
   Its a shame, but typical, that for the first 7 dives we decided not to rent the camera. Which of course was when all the sharks decided to show themselves. They are the most beautiful creatures, the way they move their perfectly proportioned bodies, i could watch them forever. Today, despite the lack of sharks, was still incredible. All day, 7AM-6PM, on the boat. These three dives were quite the opposite to the nothingness the day before, schools of giant snapper, tuna, unicornfish [left] and bat fish. When you jump in and all you can see are fins and scales it makes your heart jump. The first dive was basically a sheer reef wall with 200+ metres below us. While the rest swam closer to the giant shoals of fish, i stayed closer to the reef wall looking for hidden beauties in the cracks. And luckily for me i manged to spy a rather large beauty tucked away in a cave [right]. Moray Eels are stunning, this one happened to be particularly large, and particularly frightening. I wish i could convey it's beauty, along with the beauty of the ocean properly, but photos completely lacking in true colour are all i have to offer. Along with various other sea creatures, octopuses, a gigantic napoleon ras, a few large barracuda, one of the highlights would have to be the old, large, green sea turtle [above]. I think i'm just in love and fascinated with all things oceanic.

First of Many?

  After two years under the reign of the International Baccalaureate Diploma system i am officially a free man, which is probably the main reason for the start of these posts to come. Phoned the school early to put myself out of my misery, i have never felt a better sense of relief. So i'll be moving down to Brighton to start at the University of Sussex in October 2009 after a much needed gap year.

   I'm not exactly sure how i managed to do as well as i did, especially considering i spent most of my time during the two years watching tv, partying on the internet, going to shows, and waking up at 3AM to finish last month's essay while this month's stared me in the face. I thought i would regret the little time i put in to finishing work, or not studying for exams, but as it turns out, i'm glad i did what i did, and how i went about doing it.

  I do love to learn. In all honesty i cannot wait to start learning again next fall. Especially learning with freedom, unlike the prison i have just come from. 4 "free" periods a week, spent cooped up in the library with a woman who would tolerate nothing but complete silence. Escaping from the campus via the boot of someone's car as we weren't allowed to leave. Detention for five days for missing gym. Countless letters home over "missing work." But now i'm free. Goodbye ACS Egham.

  Its such a relieving feeling knowing that i have a steady future for at least the next five or six years. First on the list is to try and get a job to help fuel this year off, but i'll probably end up appreciating work not for the minimal amount of cash but as an escape from the boredom of home life. Then off for 4 years being a full time student, and i will probably end up stretching my time as a student by doing a masters after. So there it is, my future for the next 6 years. But for now my short term future is as follows: Jimmy on the 8th, and i couldn't be more excited, then departing for the Red Sea on the 10th to dive. Life could not be radder if it tried.