Wow my resolution lasted for less than a week! I dont really have an excuse other than the last week I was in Liverpool Street and 2-3 hours commuting really takes it out of you. But I do enjoy my new part time job.
Have been rejected from 4 law firms. And one interview coming up for a firm I really really want to work for. I have two weeks to prepare and I think the group sessions are my real downfall. That and my lack of commercial awareness.
Plan for this week. Will be in work experience, lunch times I will finish 'All you need to know about the City' and in the evenings I will be doing searches for the firm and the cases they have done. And then the second week I can focus on commercial awareness and interview questions.
My diet went downhill since I started working in London, I would go in an hour early just in case I missed my train (Weird!) and that would mean I would pig out for breakfast in cafes and waste money. But I walked home not that that made a difference. Now I only have two weeks remaining until the wedding. I just feel far too 'naked' when writing my diet habits on here. I will write in on my other blog and try and fill this one with more useful things like Current Affairs, Cultural topics and my amateur philosophy.
Also have decided to take a year out and search for a job. I decided this last week but am yet to defer.
SO if anyone knows a solicitor who is looking for a eager PA/secretary/paralegal please give me a shout :D
Ciao xxxxxx
Sunday 14 August 2011
Thursday 4 August 2011
Elia Kazan - America America
A true story about the dream of one young man to bring his family out of the shame and submission of the Turks in Anatolia. The film covers the beginning of the Armenian and Greek genocide of the early 20th century.
The only time I've ever cried as much as I did in this film was in the Pianist.
The ending left me with a bittersweet taste...What had started off as a selfish journey turned into selfless acts being repaid. It was partially a bildungsroman but so much more...
But the kissing of the ground upon arrival in America?
I mean Elia Kazan (real name Ilias Kazantoglou) was very fond of the idea of America being the place of freedom, of opportunity....hence the short glimpse of the statue of liberty from the ship, whilst many are figuratively and literally surrounded by bars.
I am told that this image inspired that truly spine chilling shot in the beginning of the Godfather Part II.
But I've never been able to align the two images of America in my mind. That which I get from the very history of America (16th - 19th Century 'Indian policy reductions' which in simple terms means ethnic cleansing) and this image we get from books like F Scott Fitzgerals in 'The Great Gatsby'. But perhaps that is the very point. America is simply an image. Nothing more. An image is not tangible...It can be seen, in one's mind...But whether the reality is as we visualise it, is separate to that image we think we see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE6n-Rg8N1w
The only time I've ever cried as much as I did in this film was in the Pianist.
The ending left me with a bittersweet taste...What had started off as a selfish journey turned into selfless acts being repaid. It was partially a bildungsroman but so much more...
But the kissing of the ground upon arrival in America?
I mean Elia Kazan (real name Ilias Kazantoglou) was very fond of the idea of America being the place of freedom, of opportunity....hence the short glimpse of the statue of liberty from the ship, whilst many are figuratively and literally surrounded by bars.
I am told that this image inspired that truly spine chilling shot in the beginning of the Godfather Part II.
But I've never been able to align the two images of America in my mind. That which I get from the very history of America (16th - 19th Century 'Indian policy reductions' which in simple terms means ethnic cleansing) and this image we get from books like F Scott Fitzgerals in 'The Great Gatsby'. But perhaps that is the very point. America is simply an image. Nothing more. An image is not tangible...It can be seen, in one's mind...But whether the reality is as we visualise it, is separate to that image we think we see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE6n-Rg8N1w
Wednesday 3 August 2011
Day Three (and day two)
No no I haven't given up...Just came home rather late last night.
Yesterday I was cleaning the house for a good 6 hours so got a real sweat going buttt was bad as I had a little bit of pitta at night time.
Today have cooked
But I have been bad as I was tempted by two pieces of dark chocolate. But it is better than what I usually do...which would involve consuming the entire box.
...and am going BMF later so am keeping up the good work. Just need to drink a little more water, and sleep a little bit earlier.
Next week will determine whether I can get through the next few weeks.
Hopefully I can. :)
xxxx
Yesterday I was cleaning the house for a good 6 hours so got a real sweat going buttt was bad as I had a little bit of pitta at night time.
Today have cooked
But I have been bad as I was tempted by two pieces of dark chocolate. But it is better than what I usually do...which would involve consuming the entire box.
...and am going BMF later so am keeping up the good work. Just need to drink a little more water, and sleep a little bit earlier.
Next week will determine whether I can get through the next few weeks.
Hopefully I can. :)
xxxx
Dictators and the Arab Spring (in brief)
Had a rather interesting conversation with a certain indivdual that claimed 'Saddam Hussein was a hero.' I replied with 'I would spit on you but my better judgment tells me not to.' Not quite sure why my inner savage/villager comes out when offended. He also claimed that 'Chemical Ali was a mere illusion' one of course which he claimed was a fiction created by the Americans and the British. Snore. His arguments were unfounded, vague and completely lacking in humanity.
A dictatorship is a dictatorship. I was trying to compare the Arab Spring to dictators of old (hence my Hussein reference). I find it abhorrent that because a select minority have benefited from the lunacy of dictators that they now venerate them!
We only have to look at Gaddafi supporters who agree to the massacre of their own people (Gaddafi has suggested it is Western propaganda that is depicting the illusion of civilian uprisings) to see a general pattern.
Gaddafi has, according to the UN, administered Viagra type drugs to his soldiers for the very purpose of raping women. And this man started off his revolution 4 decades ago in order to BENEFIT his country. Some messed up logic going on.
If your family and your own skin is being saved...you will do anything...as long as you are fed, clothed and paid.
Is this true for everyone?
If you were put in a situation where your country faced mass unemployment, economic sanctions from the rest of the world and were given a job which appeared humane (e.g. working for an oil distillery) would you take it? And then would you support the man which had given you the job?
Would you support said man no matter what?
I believe humanity and human rights, which have come to be venerated in our modern society have always been universally true. I don't agree with theories that 'human rights differ globally'. I think what differs is the relative importance of each right.
eg for some the most salient right is to live and be able to work.
For Western countries it is more likely to surround equality for the disabled, sexual orientation and race.
I think all too often people are blinded by fascism. What people often forget, who have been brainwashed by nationalism, is that we all share 99.9% similar genetic make up.
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galations 3:28)
A dictatorship is a dictatorship. I was trying to compare the Arab Spring to dictators of old (hence my Hussein reference). I find it abhorrent that because a select minority have benefited from the lunacy of dictators that they now venerate them!
We only have to look at Gaddafi supporters who agree to the massacre of their own people (Gaddafi has suggested it is Western propaganda that is depicting the illusion of civilian uprisings) to see a general pattern.
Gaddafi has, according to the UN, administered Viagra type drugs to his soldiers for the very purpose of raping women. And this man started off his revolution 4 decades ago in order to BENEFIT his country. Some messed up logic going on.
If your family and your own skin is being saved...you will do anything...as long as you are fed, clothed and paid.
Is this true for everyone?
If you were put in a situation where your country faced mass unemployment, economic sanctions from the rest of the world and were given a job which appeared humane (e.g. working for an oil distillery) would you take it? And then would you support the man which had given you the job?
Would you support said man no matter what?
I believe humanity and human rights, which have come to be venerated in our modern society have always been universally true. I don't agree with theories that 'human rights differ globally'. I think what differs is the relative importance of each right.
eg for some the most salient right is to live and be able to work.
For Western countries it is more likely to surround equality for the disabled, sexual orientation and race.
I think all too often people are blinded by fascism. What people often forget, who have been brainwashed by nationalism, is that we all share 99.9% similar genetic make up.
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galations 3:28)
Monday 1 August 2011
Fatty Diaries
Day 1....
Please God, let me stick to this one thing and I will believe in myself...maybe...
Today got the media job sorted...and was subsequently rejected by a law firm I had been for an interview for. I had rather arrogantly believed I would get accepted there.
The worst thing wasn't the rejection, it was my good friend calling and asking with a bitter tone whether I had got a training contract.
Money does this to people. Well no we all have a choice in the matter....
Anyhow did an hour and a half stint at the gym plus 4 miles walked :) (in lieu of BMF)
Food equally was fairly good except for being force fed at a Greek house (fooking standard!)
Leon sweet potato falafel
Fresh lemonade
Stuffed vine leaves x6
Two apples
And a bit of cheesecake (chez Greeks :@)
Tomorrow is clean up day.
Please God, let me stick to this one thing and I will believe in myself...maybe...
Today got the media job sorted...and was subsequently rejected by a law firm I had been for an interview for. I had rather arrogantly believed I would get accepted there.
The worst thing wasn't the rejection, it was my good friend calling and asking with a bitter tone whether I had got a training contract.
Money does this to people. Well no we all have a choice in the matter....
Anyhow did an hour and a half stint at the gym plus 4 miles walked :) (in lieu of BMF)
Food equally was fairly good except for being force fed at a Greek house (fooking standard!)
Leon sweet potato falafel
Fresh lemonade
Stuffed vine leaves x6
Two apples
And a bit of cheesecake (chez Greeks :@)
Tomorrow is clean up day.
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