The 3-month Report

It’s been a while, my friends. It’s been a while indeed.

A lot of ideas have been running through my head. I can’t even tell you every each of them. So I’ll just scramble up some stuff that’s been bouncing around lately.

First of all, I’ve been having trouble sleeping. I don’t know what is the reason, I go to sleep at reasonable time, sleep for 3 hours,  then wake up and struggle with my awakening for about 4 hours and then I sleep for about 6 more hours. Guess my biological clock is really screwed! And to get to sleep after I’ve remembered this tune is even more impossible:

Another thing, looks like my Crusade to Germany for next year is looking more likely than ever! Tutor didn’t object and yeah, all that is left to do will be done after the Christmas break. As I already told to one Nigerian biosciences student (who quite recklessly disturbed my zen of the Internet just to chat and gather information of me. Creepy.), when I am in Latvia or in here, it feels the same, just being. But in Germany I always feel empowered and joyful. Well, not really always, but that is another story.

Another one is about the cultural diversity of England. I can understand when there are all kinds of ethnicities in London, it’s a metropolis, I expect to be amazed by the mixture of people. But outside it, in such a small place as Hatfield, I don’t know. I don’t consider myself a racist, I’ve never been one, but this ethnic mix here just looks like a demographic immigrant pornography. I didn’t really expect the amount of brownish asian people to be so big here.

Another thing is the most absurd Britain’s choice for a car award! Being here 3 months I’ve seen ridiculous stuff on the roads, like, for example, they drive on the other side of the road! (Which has been annoying lately, God knows why) But ultimately, for the last week I’ve been conducting some research (read: I looked at the street) and came up with no one but two winners! Drumroll, please.

The first winner is:

Long ago me and one of my closest friends already humiliated this one verbally in front of it's owner - his mother.

And the other one:

No comments, just ridiculous.

Yeah, and the last thing. Some of you probably think that I just wander around here and do nothing. Well, that is not so! And to prove you wrong I am giving out links to 2 of my written solo assignments (some of others are in groups). The big and the small one.

Therefore I think that I’ve said enough this evening. Away I go.

The Consumer Behaviour

Why I called this post like this? My first coursework is about it, about consumers decision-making and purchasing process of a car. From one side it’s a treat, a lovely topic with big possibilities, on the other hand it’s a nightmare, the information ocean of this one is SO vast I will probably choke and start to sink in the first few minutes. Of course, haven’t yet.

Something particulary new? Probably not, I don’t even know why in the hell did I am writing this. Oh, whatever, let’s just ride along with it.

Paid the second rent, that is how you loose 340£ in 2 min. Ok, honestly it’s a month, but the transfer of cash happened in two minutes! Landlady offered me a smaller room from next month with smaller rent, that could just be my lifesaver. Although I quite like my room, it spacious!

I am really willing to start budgeting. I’m trying to gather my strength and write down all of my expenses sorted in reasonable fashion, make myself a balance. Unfortunately I was sick for the checks&balances part in the Economics back then, I think it was 2 years ago.

Such a waste of time, I don’t want to go home, so I sit in the LRC and write pathetic and meaningless blog posts for others to ignore to! Ok, gotta go. I’m starting to get sleepy.

Cheers!

The Thoughts

Until now I’ve just written about my daily activities and worries. Now the time has come to change it at least a bit. Since personal info blogs doesn’t attract more followers!

Life is full of mysteries. Especially those which are bound to happen sometime in the future. I still can’t wrap my head around all the possible outcomes of my chosen path. Maybe I shouldn’t try, it can be harmful after all. Setting your hopes too high can lead into unbelievable distress and ultimately to suicidal thoughts. Not that I haven’t ever thought about it.

I think everyone, if we are really honest to ourselves, has thought about a suicide. There is something mystical about it, the unknown, the forbidden. After all, if we are truly descendants of Adam & Eve then breaking the rules are already written in our genetic code. But I think the radical Christians don’t really think about that. They just try to restrain themselves. I have a wonderful advice for them – tie yourselves up to a chair and let the sinners feed you. Oh, wait, Christ was born to release our sins. Shit, too easy, it seems that a bunch of scared Jews made up Jesus to get a free pass to Heaven.

Alright, enough about religion, that’s too fragile topic, don’t want to be killed by radicals.

But to be honest, I wanted to talk about something completely else. Attitude and responsibility.

Even though I always have considered myself an upstanding citizen, it seems that when you step your foot into the real life, the life without boundaries, you are a completely different person. And the most upsetting and frightening thing is that you see yourself from the other side. All your insecurities, your doubts, your flaws. You try to overcome them, sometimes everything together, sometimes one step at a time. Some of you may succeed in these efforts. Some of you may not. I think I’m somewhere in the middle. There are some that I’ve erased, but some still are elevating now and then.

As one of my acquaintances told recently in his diary: “I wish I could be a 12-year-old. Without any responsibilities.”

Yes, I want that time back as well. With no worries, always fed, always with shelter. But then, if we look at the possibilities, there weren’t as much of them. You had to do what you were told, either in the school or back at home. Now, now I can do whatever I want to do. I can spend the money on cookies and I can spend the money on pasta. I can go to Uni and I can wander around London for a week, choosing bars as my shelter. But there always is the dark side of the Moon. Whatever I do, whatever I say, there is a consequence. When you are guided, when someone looks after you, all the consequences fall onto their shoulders. When you are one, you are one indeed.

Guess that is a fight I will have to go through, otherwise no VW for me.

And lastly, after all this struggle with yourself and the world, what happens then? Of course, there was this saying: “Hard in the drills, easy in the battle”. If I will gather myself and step through this forest with the head held high, I that there are some things and someone who will wait me at the finish line. And fuck yeah, the prise is going to be eternal.

No matter what you think, no matter what you do, no matter if it breaks your back or strains your joints. Know that there, in the end, is something special that waits only for you. And to put the best effort on the way means only higher chances of getting it. Of course, that small devil called luck. Forget it, when you’ve done everything that is possible, luck won’t be necessary.

The Halloween

The creepiest time in the year has came, Halloween. For me, of course, it comes with unbelievably dull time consuming. I really do not know what to do. Probably going to watch Minority Report, I some time ago realized that I’ve never seen it. By the way, is it any good?

Yes, I told that I will talk a bit about the Microsoft Developers Conference. Guess most of you don’t even give a flying toss about it. But just to summarize, IE9 has got some interesting features with the integration within W7, but it’s nothing particularly awesome and it isn’t as adaptable as Firefox. Windows Phone 7 is one hell of a fox! Honestly, I won’t hesitate to choose it over an iPhone if WP7 provides me experience that satisfies me in a way that seems to me appropriate. So yeah, great platform, some great new things in there, but as Gizmodo already have stated, it’s not yet as great as the competitors. Now everything is on the shoulders of marketing people!

Umm, yeah, haven’t paid my rent yet, although I needed to do that on Tuesday. But I’ll try to explain myself, I have a great alibi!

Any suggestions what I could do? The only rule is that I can’t spend a dime. I really need a change from this daily nothingness.

The Rejoice

Some of you might say ‘Dude, you’re overreacting, that’s nothing amazing’. But I beg to differ. Sometimes life plays out better than you could ever expect.

I think there are 2 important things to exclaim at this point.

First one – I found my new spot in the Uni. Although it’s on the other campus and I need to commute just to get there, but I think it’s worth the trip. I found (with some help from the Uni tech support) a Mac Study Suite. What that means? It means I am now currently, and hopefully will onwards, use an iMac in my daily computing experience. Just can’t still wrap my head around the fact. The keyboard and the mouse feel so different, so fragile but in the meantime so pure. It’s like someone has answered my prayers that I haven’t even thought of!

Second thing – although it would require a lot of composure, strength and patience, I am going to set my path to study next year in Germany. Got most of the needed info about the possibilities, just have to get the module layout for the next year and match it up with the German options. And manage the possible money supplies since it could make a quite of a struggle to get a job there. But yeah, I am definitely going to make that happen. You never can get enough of Germany, right?

Honestly, today is quite nice, listening to my most beloved band Strain (it is a bit narcissistic, but it provides some closure) and the tutorial today was successful as well (I honestly hate that Osama, constantly showing up without done preps, pisses me off), I think the tutor is quite impressed with my work and participation. Although it’s not a core module, I do like to stand out, of course in a good way.

 

Tomorrow is going to be a great day too, at least I wish it to be so. A review of the presentation in Oral Communication, the first briefing in the course work for the Principles Of Marketing and 4 hour long Microsoft Dev Conference as a cherry on the top. I wanted to go there because Microsoft’s really coming back from the Vista failure, Windows Phone 7 is looking great, already have been quite please with the Windows 7. Although my heart still belongs to Mac, it is never bad to know what else is there since I’ve used Ubuntu a lot, for example. I’ll try to make some kind of feedback tomorrow for anyone who’s willing to know what happened there.

Cheers!

The Month and its Week of a Tail

Probably first of all I should apologize for my silence. Don’t know if I was caught up in the work or was just lazy, but yes, I am sincerely sorry that you all, who even peeks into my digital diary,  haven’t heard from me a while.

So, what has happened? A lot. And in the meantime nothing in particular.

Of course it should been acknowledged that my studies finally have picked up a pace, first grades are rolling into my account, first larger writings, first research even. Some of you, who follow me on Twitter, maybe have seen my desperate cries about the vast information and the classification and sorting of it. Yes, I finally can say that I am a full-time student, not a lone dweller with an indeterminate daily schedule.

Finally opened my bank account, now I am a Lloyds TSB account owner. Got myself a savings account as well. I don’t know what I am going to save there (since most of the costs are very precisely planned, at least I think so), but it’s better to have one than don’t!

Costs have risen, since I got my deposit back from the Uni, of course know the expenses are cut to the minimum since I have to pay my rent tomorrow (theoretically), but yeah, bought myself today 2-litre milk, oil and some herb sausages, unfortunately can’t remember the Latvian word for them.

I hope one day I will gather my strengths to tell you all about a bit more about my studies. Guess that is the only reason why some of you still keeps reading this.

And one very important message, from 4-7 Dec I am going back to the Fatherland (that sounds completely different in English, more like the German approach). So, if anyone is going to celebrate me in my 19th birthday or even the Christmas, that would be the appropriate time, since the visit is roughly planned around the Easter. Of course if nothing changes in the process.

To liven this up, here goes a visual treat for all you peepz out there!

Cheers!

The Same

It seems that nothing changes.

At least nothing has changed over the course of last few days, to be more precise since last post.

Just some little updates there.

Got the postal package from Riga filled with socks, ‘smart’ pants (like for official events and job interviews of sorts.) and a pullover. And something edible as well including rye bread (can’t get one here), chocolate, 2 sorts of tea (don’t know why, but whatever) and sliced meat of some sorts. Estonian. Got me bit pissed, after all I waited for a package from Latvia, so within should be ingredients from Latvia not Estonia.

 

Student Allocator still hasn’t put me in place with the GPB module and it worries me. Hope that at least tutorial will be on Wednesday, then my little plan of escape on my birthday will luckly succeed in excess drinking 3 nights in a row. ‘Cause you’re an alcoholic if you drink alone, but with others it’s called a party!

My pork loins (or were they?) are going to end very soon. Only two servings left. That reminds me about that think I did yesterday. Very silently (but deadly) I ‘borrowed’ Bangladeshan family’s (that’s how I consider them and I guess Ian (the Chinese guy) considers them so as well since he told me that expression) Tefal pan and got the best results on the earth. It cooked so nicely that I decided to change my cheapskate pan (3.50£, Hello!) for a Tefal one.

 

Think that’s all for now, something more interesting should come later. Or the time I am spending here is a time badly spent.

The Resurrection

Thought I am gone for good? Wrong!

 

Yeah, it’s been a while since I wrote last time. Guess I’ve been caught up with God knows what. Just didn’t feel the need to spread out my knowledge/feelings. Yeah, but you can’t forget about your audience! Won’t be a good marketing professional if I will forget about my consumers wants and needs everytime I felt I have said everything already. Talking about this, had a conversation yesterday just about this particular topic, the information highways, if you will. (That was Bill Gates’ vision of the future of the Internet – Information [Super]highway. Read it somewhere, just can’t figure out where. Probably on Gizmodo. Right back to main topic.) The thing is that I have a bunch, a flock, a handful of information. And I am willing to distribute it to my friends, aquaintaces and collegues. But if I tell everything, for example, here, then I’m not willing to rewrite those same words again. Even if it’s the most important person in the world (for me) that asks me that. So I’ve got to spread my gospel evenly! As you’ve seen already, it doesn’t come so easily, but I guess probably it’s just a time management issue. Efficiency is the word that probably should be written on my hands that I don’t forget it. Although all this babble doesn’t seem so efficient, does it?

Right, about my experiences here in the UK! Mostly good, some price tags make me laugh because I am surprised for the miniscule offering. About others I laugh because it’s the fear of going naked to school if I buy that. Of course, a metaphor. But yeah, mostly it’s been good here. Not so well and in the same way much better in between my too homes now. Sometimes irritated, sometimes depressed, sometimes filled with joy, excitement and happiness. But I guess you’re not really a human if you don’t have all those feelings happening all around your head.

Uni, uni, uni. God awful, where should I start! First week has ended! With good expectations now I should march into the second week where all the madness of tutorials begin. All that “wonderful” prep work that needs to be done, lots of reading and so on. Hope I will be able to do something else than that like enjoying food! Talking about food. Right, back to that later on, the topic was Uni after all. Yeah, seen all my main lecturers for my first semester, some of them are absolutely inadequate and dumb in a common sense way (Marketing Data Analysis), some are very demanding (Principles of Marketing, Global Perspectives in Business) and some are form Malaysia (Professional Development of Marketers)!

And one particular thought has run through my head recently for several times.  I love that I chose Marketing. I just love it! At least the basic principles, when it all will go into different segments, differentiation and targeting, I will probably be willing to shoot myself whenever the opportunity presents itself! But the start is promising. And the main idea, the core structure and concept speaks to me so directly! That it’s not about the selling of product, it’s about helping the consumer, understanding him and giving him that what he wants before he knows that he wants it. (That last statement is copyrighted)

Food. Right, bought myself some pork loins, finally some meat in my stomach. Yeah, and pasta too. Haven’t been the best at cooking lately, but I like to blame it on the electric cooker! It really is something that needs some practice before it could be used in a proper way.

Anything else? Have been watching some TV series, found out a splendid site, where I can watch everything that I want to by just streaming it! This is my fall schedule for the entertainment:

• The Daily Show
• Colbert Report
• House
• How I Met Your Mother
• Chuck
• Gossip Girl
• Weeds
• Nikita
• South Park
• Lie To Me
• The Big Bang Theory
• Glee
• Fringe
• Shit My Dad Says

Guess that’s all. Can’t remember any particular title now that I’ve missed.

 

Right, now it’s really time to end this one. It can spread a looong looong way.

Cheers!

The Calm Before The Storm

Long time no see! Guess I’ve been busy with catching up with all of the TV series I didn’t see till moment I bought myself a new pair of headphones. By the way, for 3.50£ they sound quite decent! But it seems that the build quality is not the best. It won’t be long till they brake. Although I try to be very careful since I haven’t got really a lot of resources to dump into new headphones every month.

Yeah, about the headline. Last 3 days have been so lazy I can’t even imagine how anything could get more lazier than this! The only frequent commuting happens between my bed and a PC here, in the LRC. I have no other idea what to do. Walk around the town? Forget it, first of all, here’s nothing to do. It’s as small as I dont know what! But it’s small. Very. Go out and meet new people? Two possible options – I am too shy or I can’t afford it. Probably both of them.

Of course, it’s not like I really don’t do anything. Went to Graduate Futures, got info about writing a proper CV, today started to adjust my schedule, wrote down all of my semester books. God awful, the main one is 1000 pages thick with all kinds of marketing wizardry! And only 2 of them available here at the LRC. Should I take it now or wait? Cause I don’t know, if I read it now will I be able to remember everything for the rest of the semester.

Anything particular left? Guess not. Till later then!

The Downfall

You see, this haven’t been the best of my days. Got up late, missed lectures (they’re still introductory) first few minutes and finally fucked up the first group work. Said to one of the gals that I’ll be at the LRC checking my email and when they’re coming, they should look me up, ’cause I’ll be somewhere in the front. Of course, whether she didn’t hear or just forgot, but yeah, after some considerable amount of time I went looking for them, found them of course, but yeah, no one was even interested in my absence! Of course, I know that the world doesn’t revolve around me, but for Christ’s sake! Yeah, so, I stumbled upon them, they already had sorted everything out, all outlines,  all everything, so I was left with drawing three little accessories. Of course, my bad, should’ve not left them, but come on! To promote Uni they took a theme “And This Little Piggy Went To Marketing”? And the performance was awful! Is it really so hard to do one’s best? It seemed that they’re just cruising along, doing what’s necessary to get the job done, but not enough to be better. Mad, mad at myself, ’cause my lack of hindsight robbed me the recognition right from the start. I feel awful.

Got to buy myself some decent knives, hate to take those, that aren’t mine and especially if they’re rubbish. And pan’s a shit. Should’ve not been a cheap skate and bought myself a decent Tefal. At least the I could understand what to do. I don’t know where the oil evaporates or disappears on it, but there no chance to keep something on it. Maybe that’s just because I am not used to cook on electric cookers. Hate them, can’t understand them, I am definitely going to use a gas one for rest of my life! When I get a hold of one.

Hope at least, that with the job hunting it will go a bit better. But the day’s overall pattern starting with a disturbing nightmare seems to continue.